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  • Last name starts with A-G - bring dessert  
  • Last name starts with H-M - bring sides/salads
  • Last name starts with N-Z -bring entrees

See you on August 8 at 6:00!

Download a review of our summer and some thoughts on what it means to be "missional" by viewing our lives as missionaries. And join us on August 11 at 6 p.m. for the conclusion of summer midweek as we take our own real lives and brainstorm how to begin.

Download the discussion guide below. And thanks for a great summer of midweeks!

Below is a brief description of some of our events. More details on these events and details will be posted on the blog and on facebook in coming weeks:

Wednesdays June 2-August 11 | Covenant Chapel

On most Wednesday nights this summer (download planner for specifics) we'll meet at Covenant Chapel at 6:00 p.m. First we'll eat some delicious, free food together. Then, using Mark Driscoll's book Radical Reformission, we'll talk about what it looks like to follow Jesus in our world in a study called: The Gospel, The Culture and The Church.

Wednesday, May 26 | Covenant Chapel | 7 p.m.

The 3rd annual YAMs Blendoff is Wednesday, May 26 at Covenant Chapel. Try your skills out at making the best (non-alcoholic) blended beverage

Saturday, June 5 | Covenant Chapel | 5:00 p.m.

Start the summer off right as we grill out and hang out for a fun night of reconnecting with old friends and making new ones with delicious food and fun games.

Friday, June 25 | Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard - 95th and Mission | 7 p.m.

A great chance to invite friends and neighbors to watch a good, thought-provoking movie and talk about it. We'll be back at Foo's frozen custard for this one, so we can enjoy some good eats at the same time.

Friday, July 16 | Kauffman Stadium

The Royals usually aren't very good, but there isn't much that beats a good baseball game in the summer. Even better is that hotdogs, small drinks and peanuts are $1 each all night for this one! Meet at Covenant Chapel at 5:30 p.m.

Friday-Saturday, July 30-31 | Lake Wabaunsee, KS

We're heading back to the McNellis family lakehouse for 2 days of swimming, jet-skiing and fun. One group leaves Friday morning, the other Friday night and we get back by dinner time on Saturday.

In addition to these speical events, we'll have some regular favorites as well:

May 2 | June 6 | July 11 | August 8

May 8 | June 12 | July 10 | August 14

Download the discussion guide below. And join us for two more weeks of Summer Midweek on August 4 and 11.

Sign up on the Facebook Event by July 6 so we can get the best group rate for tickets. Cost should be around $13.

We talked about common apporaches to outreach and evangelism and how to take the positives from each without bringing the negatives along. Download the notes below.

(Reminder: no midweek on July 21, but we're back July 28 at 6 p.m.)

Download the discussion notes below and join us the rest of the summer as we talk about what it actually looks like to live as missionaries of the gospel in our city.

Download the booklet below.

We're back at Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard for this one - NE corner of 95th and Mission in Leawood. See below for a map.

Also, please use this opportunity to invite folks. You can do that via the Facebook event, or by downloading and printing a promo card below.

See you June 25 for Fourth Friday Films!

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Download a copy below to consider these perceptions, what the Bible says about each, and how we can respond in a God-glorifying, gospel centered way.

He is looking for someone with 3-5 years of experience in an accounting, data management or related field. The job would also require the ability to compile information to create a variety of reports.

If interested, contact Matt and he'll get you more information. Feel free to pass it on to friends.

I wanted to take a minute to remind us all of the purpose of Fourth Friday Films. We don't want these to simply be a time for us to hang out. Instead, use this as an opportunity to be a good missionary to your neighborhood, workplace, school and community. Watch the video below for a few details.

See you June 25 at Fourth Friday Films!

-matt

Download the guide from summer midweek #2 below. Remember that we are NOT having summer midweek on June 16, but we'll be back for midweek #3 on June 23.

See you soon!

Jesus calls us to a three-fold mission to love these three people/things. So we must start by defining each as we figure out how to go about our mission.

Download a copy of the content below. Check back each week for the latest.

The Gospel, The Culture and The Church: A Radical Reformission

“We are all on a mission with Jesus every day, and we are either good missionaries or bad ones.” - Mark Driscoll, Radical Reformisison

Jesus has called us to the gospel (loving our Lord), the culture (loving our neighbor), and the church (loving our brother). When we pursue all three simultaneously people begin relationships with Christ, grow as his disciples, and further the kingdom of Christ.

So what’s gone wrong? Why, as followers of Christ, does it seem we can only pursue two of the three at the same time? We need Reformission: a radical change in how we share the gospel with men and women in our post-Christian culture.

Join us on Wednesday nights this summer starting June 2. Each week we’ll meet at Covenant Chapel at 6:00p.m. for some dinner and discussion about what it looks like to love the gospel, love the culture and love the church simultaneously.

For more information contact Matt at 913.663.3095.

• June 2: Introduction: Knowing and Engaging Your Culture
• June 9: Knowing Your Culture: Reality
• June 16: [No Summer Midweek]
• June 23: Knowing Your Culture: Perceptions
• June 30: Knowing Your Culture: Misperceptions
• July 7: Engaging Your Culture: Beginning Mission
• July 14: Engaging Your Culture: Loving Your Neighbor (Really)
• July 21: [No Summer Midweek]
• July 28: Engaging Your Culture: Excuses
• August 4: Engaging Your Culture: Becoming Missional
• August 11: Conclusion: Where To Go From Here

Each week stands alone and everyone is welcome, so come whenever you can. And feel free to invite friends by downloading the card below and handing it out. Or if you're into this "internet" thing, you can just send them the link to this page.

During the spring, each YAMs community group has $150 available to use in community missions projects or activities.

Talk to your community group leader for more information or download a list of partner organizations and ideas by clicking below...

Grab a friend, bring all the ingredients you need (and a blender if you have one), and meet at Covenant Chapel at 7:00 on May 26. Learn more and let us know you're coming on the Facebook Event.

Passion is an awesome conference with great worship and gifted speakers. It's a great opportunity to take a few days away from regular routines to rest, renew your faith, and learn a ton!

Learn all about Passion 2010, including speakers, worship artists, special sessions and more at the Passion website: http://www.268generation.com/passion2010/

We're joining up with the young adults from Christ Community Church to help save money. Transportation to and from Atlanta (via bus) and Hotels cost $175 per person. In addition, you'll need to register for the Passion conference. Currently, the cost is $149 per person. After September 15, that price jumps to $169 per person. So, the sooner you sign up, the less it costs.

So total cost will be between $325 and $350. If money is the only thing keeping you from going, talk to Matt - we'll try to work something out.

To sign up, contact Matt ASAP. We need to have commitments by October 1.

RSVP on the Facebook Event. Or, if you don't have facebook, send Matt a quick email to let him know you're coming.

Great discussion with a great group last night! And much thanks to Ben Connelly of The City Church in Fort Worth, TX, for teaching us and leading the discussion.

Download Ben's thoughts and notes here...

It's been an awesome summer with our midweek "Questions?" series. And, as always, if you're ever wrestling with questions, please don't hesitate to call or email Matt.

As always, a great discussion last night. Download a resource booklet below.

Don't miss next week, August 12, our last YAMs summer midweek for 2009. We have a special guest teacher - Ben Connelly - the planting pastor of The City Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Ben will lead our discussion and answer the question: "Why does God allow evil and suffering?"

Here's how it works: you, or you and a team, dream up your best blended non-alcoholic beverage. You get all the ingredients you'll need to make it and bring them to Covenant Chapel on July 29.

Then we'll blend them up and do a random taste test to vote on the best. Here are the three categories for judging:

• best taste
• best presentation
• most original

The winner(s) for each category get a prize.

So start planning now and we'll see you on July 29th for the Blendoff.

Visit the facebook event page to let us know you're coming.

This is a very difficult and controversial issue. We had one of our best discussions yet last night about what the Bible says on this subject and what that practically means about the way we live our lives.

Download some highlights below:

This week, July 29, we're taking a break from our Questions series. Instead we'll have the 2nd Annual Blendoff. See facebook or the blog for details.

Join us again on August 5 for our next Question: "Is guilt after sinning a good or bad thing?"

Tickets cost $9 each. Plus plan on chipping in a couple bucks for parking.

We'll meet at Covenant Chapel at 5:45 on Friday, July 17, and caravan from there. Game time is 7:10 p.m.

Contact Matt by July 8 if you want to go.

Out of all our questions this summer, this one is probably the least controversial, but at the same time one of the most practical. We had a great discussion about the definition of "holy" and how we actually live that way.

You can download some highlights here.

Join us next week for a controversial one: "What happens to people who have never heard of Jesus when they die? Do they still go to Hell?"

Once again, we had a great discussion. In case you missed it, below you can download some notes and thoughts from the discussion.

Five great weeks left in our YAMs Summer Midweek Questions Series. Don't miss out...

BONUS THIS MONTH: Free custard for the first 5 people who bring a friend. And the 5 friends get free custard as well. (Just to qualify, the friend can't already be a part of covenant chapel, sorry sneaky people)

Fourth Friday Films combines the great arts of film and conversation. After watching this month's featured film, we'll discuss its themes in a casual, informal environment.

Everyone is welcome. Click the download button below to get cards you can use to invite friends.

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Great discussion last night. You can download the notes below.

Don't forget we're taking next Wednesday off. We'll be back on July 8 at 7:30 p.m.

We're heading out to Michael McNellis' lake house for two days and one night of fun June 19-20. If you're looking for a great chance to relax and get to know some other college students and young adults, this is it.

At the same time, we'll welcome our recent high school grads to the college and young adult ministry of Covenant Chapel.

Check back for details and maps on the YAMs blog. The main group will meet at Covenant at 8:45 a.m. on Friday, June 19. We'll also organize a Friday evening group that leaves after work (5:30ish) and if you can only make it Saturday, that's great too.

UPDATED: download trip info below:

Great discussion and input last night at the YAMs summer midweek! Below you can get the notes from this week's discussion along with some additional resources to check out.

Great discussion last night on this weighty subject. Thanks to all of you who participated.

In case you couldn't make it, you can download the material below. This is what we discussed last night and includes other resources you can use to learn more about the subject.

See you next week for Week Two: If we cannot meet god's standards, why does he set them? Why try?

• June 10: If God knows the future, isn’t it predetermined whether we go to Hell or not?
• June 17: If we cannot meet God’s standards, why does he set them? Why try?
• June 24: How can God forgive us every time we sin? Does he forgive even if we do it on purpose?
• July 1: (off for July 4th weekend)
• July: 8: Once saved, can people go to Hell? If I sin or become rebellious and then die, will I go to Hell?
• July 15: What does it mean to live a holy life?
• July 22: What happens to people who have never heard of Jesus when they die? Do they still go to Hell?
• July 29: Blendoff (we'll have some fun competing to see who can make the best "mocktails" - no questions this night)
• August 5: Is guilt after sinning or bad or good thing?
• August 12: How can a loving God allow evil and suffering?

YAMs summer midweek will start Wednesday, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. We'll be meeting in the Library at Covenant Chapel.

And, of course, after each Wednesday night, we'll hang around for some ultimate frisbee starting at 9:00 p.m.

Learn more about summer midweek by clicking here.

See you this summer!

Matt is providing the meat (which he will be smoking all day). We need to provide the rest. So here's the game plan:

• guys - bring drinks
• ladies - bring desserts
• couples - bring side dishes

Get out there sometime around 5:30. We'll hang out for a few hours, eat, make some s'mores on the bon fire - all kinds of fun stuff.

Matt lives at 5601 E. 196th St in Belton, MO (64012). Here's a map:

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And either way, now you don't want to ask, right? Maybe it's because you've grown up in church and you think it's wrong to ask questions. Maybe you're embarrassed of your doubts or confusion. Or maybe you've just put the whole "Jesus thing" on hold for a while.

But whatever the reason, it's time to ask. It's time to wrestle with these difficult questions and figure out why you believe what you believe. You'll have to ask and answer them someday, so why prolong the inevitable?

Click the link below and submit your question anonymously. We'll vote on the submitted questions and answer the most popular ones this summer at Covenant Chapel.

The Gospel? Money? Jesus? Sex? Hell? Other religions? The Bible?

It's time to ask.

• Bon-Fire - May 2
• Welcome Back from College Cookout - May 30
• YAMs Summer Retreat - June 19-20
• Royals Game - July 17
• Blendoff - July 29

Plus all of our regular fun stuff like:

• Service and Outreach Events
• Potlucks
• Fourth Friday Films
• Ultimate Frisbee

And one new thing: Summer Midweek. This summer on Wednesday nights we'll meet at Covenant Chapel at 7:30. We'll be discussing the difficult questions about life and faith people have submitted and voted on. Check here for more info.

Click the sign up button below and fill out a quick form. Once we hear from you we'll organize teams in the sport(s) that have enough interest.

And, as always, feel free to invite your friends and family. Our teams are open to everyone!

We'll also talk about YAMs' involvement in the Community Outreach part of our "Why Christmas?" celebration at Covenant Chapel. See the Why Christmas? page for details and to register for both events.

Also, make sure you're in touch with Matt about joining a community group. December 14 will be the last meeting of Sunday Night YAMs (at least as we know it.)

See you Sunday!

Contact Matt with questions or to get into a group.

Covenant Community Groups will meet anywhere from weekly to monthly with the same group of people. This is a great place for you to have a more consistent group to meet with, build those relationships and grow spiritually in community with others.

We will talk more about the specifics at YAMs this Sunday night, but let Matt know if you'd like to join a Covenant Community Group.

See you Sunday at 7 for game night!

• All-Church Work Day - Saturday at 8:00 (a.m.)

This Saturday is our annual Fall Work Day at Covenant. There'll be plenty of projects around the church, both inside and outside, for you to help with. The work day actually starts at 8, but come for donuts and coffee at 7:30.

• Game Night/Sleepover @ the Sterk's - Saturday at 7ish (p.m.)

After you work hard all morning at the work day, what better way to relax than a game night and sleepover at the Sterk house? Bring your favorite game, sleeping stuff (if you're staying overnight), and maybe a snack or two and meet there 7ish. Their address is 9120 Central, KC, MO 64114. Map it. 

• Potluck Sunday Night at 7:00

Lots of tasty items on the menu for this Sunday, including some home-cooked jambalaya! Grab a friend and some food to share at meet at Covenant at 7. This Sunday morning, we're starting a new series at Covenant called "Nehemiah: Becoming a Person of _________". After we eat, we'll dig into Nehemiah together.

Story of the Soul is an interactive, coffeehouse experience. Using art, film, music, poetry and other media, we explore the stories the soul of mankind is and has always been telling.

Story of the Soul starts at 7:30. Foo's is located at 95th and Mission in Leawood. Event is free, but make sure to bring a couple bucks to try the custard. It definitely lives up to its "fabulous" title.

Many of you know that Dylan was diagnosed with cancer earlier this summer. His subsequent chemo treatments have left him with little energy to get things done around the house and yard.

So, this Sunday, YAMs will go and help get some of these projects done. Projects will be going on all weekend there, but we will go as a group Sunday afternoon at 4:00.

Bring some work gloves, but that should be all you need. We'll mainly be helping clean up some other projects that are currently underway. We also may be doing some fall yard projects.

Dylan and Katherine live at 12208 S. Blackfoot Drive in Olathe (66062). Map and Directions.

Contact Matt with questions.

And remember, we won't be meeting Sunday night. Let's serve together instead!

Every week, when we post the current message on the Sermon Audio page, we will also upload the questions that Covenant Community Groups use when they meet each week. Just click the icon under "Notes" that looks like a little document and you'll get a PDF of the questions.

You'll probably notice that the questions look familiar. That's because they're the same ones we use for YAMs discussion groups on Sunday night. So just excuse all that fancy stuff - the meat is right there in the questions.

But hey, just because these are there doesn't mean you should just stay home on Sunday nights. Community doesn't happen electronically.

Remember we are now meeting at 7:00 every week for the forseeable future. See you then!

Tonight is a great night to spend at Covenant. From 6:45 to 8:15 LifeCourses are going on. Check out the LifeCourses page for more details and don't worry if you missed last week; you can jump right in this week.

Then at 8:45 we'll be playing a little Frisbee. We've got a great day today and it should be a perfect, early-fall evening for frisbee. So grab a friend and meet at Covenant around 8:45.

See ya in a few hours!

Since we didn't meet last week, we haven't had signups for this potluck. So please do remember to bring something to share. We'll probably have between 15 and 20 people there.

ALSO - this week we officially kickoff YAMs with our new start time of 7:00. I know we usually meet at 7 for potlucks, but for the forseeable future, we will now meet at 7 every week. This week, we'll continue our discussion groups about the current Essence of Faith series.

See you soon!

Operation Christmas Child, part of Samaritans Purse, a global Christian charitable organization, is looking to hire a seasonal employee here in Kansas City.

Each year Operation Christmas Child delivers thousands of boxes of gifts to children around the world who do not have the means to celebrate Christmas. Along with each gift, Operation Christmas Child shares the gospel with all of the children - a way of tangibly sharing and showing the love of Christ.

The position would begin as early as next week (September 15) and run through November 26. The position is 40 hrs per week and pays $10 per hour.

If you're interested in this opportunity, contact Phyllis at 913.831.4466.

Not that YAMs should be biased or anything, but Matt is teaching one on Wednesday nights called The Gospel, The Culture and The Church. If you think I'm a lazy church staff member because I never teach, you should go to that one.

Visit the LifeCourses page for information and details about the current courses.

There is a prayer meeting for people leading different ministries at the church, so we'll take the week off.

Next week, September 14, Sunday night YAMs will be back with our monthly Potluck at 7:00 p.m. Remember to bring a friend and something tasty to share.

ALSO - starting September 14, we will permanently move Sunday night YAMs to 7:00 p.m. We'll meet an hour earlier, get done an hour earlier, and let all of us "old" young adults get some more sleep before work on Monday.

From now on, check back here for the latest news, announcements, events, and all that is young adult and college ministry at Covenant Chapel.

Click the "Subscribe" link on the main page of the YAMs blog, so you always know what's going on!

Have fun looking around the new covenantchapel.com!