Parade of Leaders Award

As every year 2 of our kids are selected to carry the banner in the annual Parade of Leaders at the convention.  The parade is friday night before the awards ceremony.  They will represent Walter Hill in the parade.  The 2 selected can be either a guy or a girl. 

The team leaders have been chosen by the team leaders through the L2L activities throughout the year (including the short film, good sam program and friday night practices.  A strong leader is one who leads through example. 

Example of participation, and example of preparing for the convention.  Last year our 2 leaders were Kathryn Byrd and Rachel Tracy. 
Throughout the year these 2 have been discussed as leaders through character and example.  Our leaders will be announced this evening at Church!

Great Job!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone did a great job Sunday evening!  The event started out with our the first annual Bible Bowl Dress Rehearsal Competition.  The L2L team of Abbi Tracy, Rachel Tracy, Donavan Knox and Drew Clark took on the adult team of Ken Reed, Tim Nance, Brian Hodge and Trampus McCracken.  The match was close!  The adults did a great job given they didn't have the questions to study.  Also, you could tell the L2L team had been studing.  The L2L team ended up winning by 2 points!  They have a surprise on Friday at the L2L convention for winning the competition.  They seem ready for the Bible Bowl Competition.

After the Bible Bowl competition we rolled right into the puppet teams.  The 1st and 2nd grade team went first, then the 3rd and 4th grade team, followed by the 5th and 6th grade team, with the 7th and 8th grade team coming next and finished up with the high school puppet team.  They all did great.  It is nice to see it all coming together.

Paul in the evening worship taught an exellent lesson on the parable of the talents.  What a fitting lesson for this evening!  After we finished the worship service we rolled directly into the boys presentation of their speeches, song leading and scripture reading.  Great job to all!  Even the adults responsible for the microphone and not know which mic was going to be used.

Our adult leaders have the kids ready to go!  Only a few more days left.

Dress Rehearsal Sunday Night

It is already that time.  It is no April Fools Day joke it is dress rehearsal on April 1.  Tentative Plans and timing for the dress rehearsal:

(All the events will be in the auditorium) - We encourage all to attend and see what our kids have been working on for the past 2 months).

Schedule:

Bible Bowl Team Competition - Team 1 vs. Team 2 (4:30 - 4:45)
Walter Hill Bible Bowl Champ vs. the Adult team (Tim Nance, Andy Clark, Ken Reed and Brian Hodge) - 4:45 - 5:00

Puppets: 
1st - 2nd grade team - 5:05
3rd - 4th grade team - 5:15
5th grade team - 5:25
6th - 8th grade team - 5:35
High School team - 5:45

Abbreviated service

(After abbreviated service)
Speech - Brian Shaw
Bible Reading - Alex Norwood
Speech - Michael Miller
Song Leading - Drew Clark
Bible Reading - Joshua Miller
Speech - Brennan Reed
Song Leading - Donavan Knox
Bible Reading - David Cary
Song Leading - JD McCracken
Speech - Cameron Pomplun
Song Leading - Andrew Hooper
Bible Reading - Storm Estes
Song Leading - Caleb Nelson
Bible Reading - James Martin

Prayer to finish - Tim Nance

Last year this was one of the most encouraging events of the year!  Come and support!

~ Scott Miller

15 of minutes of Right Brain tonight.

We have the great honor of Mark Hooper working with our guys and gals with the Art Says It category.  We encourage every one participating in L2L to participate in Art Says It.  This is an easy way to use your left brain (even if you can't draw you can participate).  Photography is a part of this section.  I would love to be able to take 40+ art projects to the L2L convention this year.  The meeting tonight will be to start preparing for what we need for the "Art Night". Art night is with the last friday practice which is March 30.  This evening's practice is 100% devoted to the art projects for all L2L participants.  We'll keep the art projects at Church and store them in the puppet room.  On Sunday evening, dress rehearsal night we'll have the projects set out for display.  Heather and I on Thursday will come pick up the art projects and deliver them to the convention for competition.  ~ Scott

Convention is coming! Convention is Coming! Convention is Coming!

We are riding the halls of Walter Hill; "The Covention is Coming! The Convention is Coming"!

Only a few weeks until the convention!  Our guys and gals have been working hard the last few months on their activities.  All the activities are in full practice mode.   Most puppet teams are practicing extra, speeches are to finalized tonight, song selections are made and full practice mode is on. 

Yesterday I was working with Heather Knox to get all dates, times, etc. in the bulletin.  L2L sure does have a lot to do coming up.  Make sure you get a bulletin so that you don't miss any other the important dates or deadlines.

We are working on a schedule for the dress rehearsal which is scheduled for Sunday evening April 1, 2012.  There will be a Bible Bowl Tournament and the puppet theater presentation before Church; song leading and speeches during Church as well as directly after Church.  I'll have the schedule completed shortly.

~Scott Miller

Why Puppets?

We have received our new puppets!  This year we have 5 puppet teams (that's right 5 puppet teams)!   Thanks to all our puppet team leaders for organizing these puppet teams.  We have gone back and forth on if we want to invest in another puppet stage for practice.  We have decided to hold off this year on the new puppet stage and see how it goes.  There are ways to practice without a stage.

Why have puppets?  Is there a spot in the Church for puppets?  We don't have puppets in Church?

Puppets actually has some huge benefits. 

• Teams learn to work together with a team to accomplish a goal.
• Teams grow closer (fellowship)
• Commitment to a team.  Once you sign up for a team there is a committment to practice with that team.  There are ones that are sacrificing sporting events and other activities to be at practice.
• Leadership can be shown in different ways on a puppet team (example and actually leading the team).

Great Job puppet teams!

~Scott Miller

Thanks Misty!

The other night I was on the phone with Misty for over an hour planning out the meal plan for the convention.  We have changed up a few things to be efficient.  A few things that we are looking at:

• We plan to have meal sign-ups and charge by the meal instead of a weekend meal ticket. 

Breakfast will be int he form of a grab bag that can be picked up the evening before or the morning of.

Lunch will be provided in a family bag based on what you sign up for.

These are only a few of the ideas that we are planning to do this year, but this gives you an idea of where we are going with this. 

Look for the meal sign-ups to be handed out starting this Friday (Feb 24).

Premier and Practice

Last night we had the first practice and movie premier.  The movie premier I thought turned out really good.  At 5:30 we began by announcing all that were in the films.  Tim Nance was the announcer.  We played the same music that they used to announce Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen when they were with the Bulls.  When their name was announced they got to walk down the red carpet.

It made it all worth while when I was putting Kayla to bed and she told me her favorite part of the day was being a movie star.  We had a great time.

The films were "RODEO DREAMS" and "TACO SPY AND THE NINJA WARRIORS".  These were sent out to the L2L guys.  We'll see during the convention where we come out.

We had practice right after.  We have scheduled it out that we have 15 minute practice sessions.  The goal is to try to do more and more one on one practicing.

Nashville Blue

The divisions have come out for the L2L convention. We are in the Nashville Blue Divison. See the listing below. We are in seating order #7 at the convention (out of 39 Churches).

We have 89 seats reserved (parents and kids at the Convention) - These are kids signed up and adults that are staying at the hotel! We are the 8th largest group in our group! The program at Walter Hill has really grown in 2 years!  The question is are we growing in just numbers or are the youth growing spiritually to be great leaders in the Church? 


Churches in our division (look at the list - Do you have family at any of these Churches? What a great time for a family reunion!

1 Atwood Church of Christ at Atwood, TN (Nashville/Blue) 20
2 Owens Cross Roads Church of Christ at Owens Cross Roads, AL (Nashville/Blue) 69
3 Portland Church of Christ at Portland, TN (Nashville/Blue) 121
4 Center Hill (AR) Church of Christ at Paragould, AR (Nashville/Blue) 67
5 Ninth Avenue Church of Christ at Haleyville, AL (Nashville/Blue) 121
6 West Main Church of Christ at Tupelo, MS (Nashville/Blue) 93
7 Walter Hill Church of Christ at Murfreesboro, TN (Nashville/Blue) 89
8 Germantown Church of Christ at Germantown, TN (Nashville/Blue) 144
9 Hoover Church of Christ at Hoover, AL (Nashville/Blue) 134
10 Fairlane Church of Christ at Shelbyville, TN (Nashville/Blue) 45
11 Ellijay Church of Christ at Ellijay, GA (Nashville/Blue) 74
12 Jacksonburg Church of Christ at Florence, AL (Nashville/Blue) 41
13 Mt. Carmel Church of Christ at Athens, AL (Nashville/Blue) 57
14 Highland Park Church of Christ at Muscle Shoals, AL (Nashville/Blue) 58
15 Eva Church of Christ at Eva, AL (Nashville/Blue) 31
16 Northeast (Kingsport) Church of Christ at Kingsport, TN (Nashville/Blue) 40
17 Brentwood Hills Church of Christ at Nashville, TN (Nashville/Blue) 158
18 Shady Land Church of Christ at Bowling Green, KY (Nashville/Blue) 19
19 Cottondale Church of Christ at Cottondale, AL (Nashville/Blue) 57
20 Greenwood Park Church of Christ at Bowling Green, KY (Nashville/Blue) 46
21 Woodlawn Church of Christ at Florence, AL (Nashville/Blue) 62
22 Pulaski Street Church of Christ at Lawrenceburg, TN (Nashville/Blue) 69
23 Liberty Church of Christ at Dennis, MS (Nashville/Blue) 36
24 Exchange Street Church of Christ at Union City, TN (Nashville/Blue) 33
25 Concord Road Church of Christ at Brentwood, TN (Nashville/Blue) 105
26 Samford Church of Christ at Steele, MO (Nashville/Blue) 59
27 East Side (Cleveland) Church of Christ at Cleveland, TN (Nashville/Blue) 38
None Cox Boulevard Church of Christ at Sheffield, AL (Nashville/Blue) 101
None Grant Church of Christ at Grant, AL (Nashville/Blue) 42
None Hartville Church of Christ at Hartville, OH (Nashville/Blue) 71
None Homewood Church of Christ at Birmingham, AL (Nashville/Blue) 41
None Lomax Church of Christ at Hohenwald, TN (Nashville/Blue) 41
None Madison (MS) Church of Christ at Madison, MS (Nashville/Blue) 28
None Main Street (Springfield) Church of Christ at Springfield, TN (Nashville/Blue) 37
None Rossville Church of Christ at Rossville, GA (Nashville/Blue) 76
None Salem Church of Christ at Florence, AL (Nashville/Blue) 64
None South Green Street Church of Christ at Glasgow, KY (Nashville/Blue) 79
None Spring Meadows Church of Christ at Spring Hill, TN (Nashville/Blue) 47
None Sylvan Springs Church of Christ at Sylvan Springs, AL (Nashville/Blue) 34

Practice Is Here

It is hard to believe practice starts this friday! We'll start our first practice session with the movie premier for the storyline. Can't wait to show it to each of you. We have some talented actors and actresses!

Make sure you let the adult leaders know if your child is unable to attend any friday night so they can plan accordingly.

Adult leaders look for an email in the next couple days which will have the schedule for you for each friday's practice.

Also, if you were unable to sign up for food on Friday let Heather know. We are anticipating that we'll be feeding around 50 or so each Friday night!

~ Scott Miller

"Rodeo Dreams" and "Taco Spy and Ninja Warriors"

Thanks to Andy Clark and the crew that was at Church last friday from 4:00 - 5:30.  We were finalizing the middle school short film by recording the voice overs.

  The actors did a great job!  Over the weekend we finalized the editing of the short film.  Last evening I put each of the short films into mail to be sent to L2L.  Now it is a wait and see game (find out how we did when the convention comes).  Both teams are in the 3- 6 grade category.

The name of the elementary file is "Rodeo Dreams" and the name of the 6th grade team is "Taco Spy and Ninja Warriors".

The premier is scheduled for Feb 10 at 5:30!  Hope all can come and celebrate these great short films!

UNO

On Saturday, Janaury 21 the Bible Bowl team took on each other with Bible Bowl UNO.  Like UNO the goal of the game was to score the lowest amount of point possible.  Before each turn a question was asked. 

If you got your answer right you could play a card.  If you missed the question then the next person could "steal your turn".  Also, if you got the question right you would pick someone to add 10 points to.

We started at 3:00.  Some ganged up on others; but you could tell some players stratgically selected who to add points to.

After an hour and half of the game it was close, but Rachel Shaw ending up victorious!  Congrats Rachel!  Donavan was just behind her in the points.  Came down to a difference of 15 points.  We had to stop the game and add up the cards that everyone had since no one actually ran out of cards during the game.

I can tell some of the team members are really studying the questions!  James, I and II Peter are tough books to learn questions for.

Next Bible Bowl game is on Feb 11 at 3:00 at our house.

If you have suggestions on the game we can use let me know.

-Scott Miller

Substitute Leaders - Job Posting

As the first practice date comes closer and closer, we are working to pull together our L2L volunteers. We have the adult volunteers for each of the L2L areas that we are participating in this year (We thank all adults who give up their friday nights for L2L). We are looking to build a listing of substitute adult leaders.

There are plenty of time when an adult volunteer can not make their practice schedule and needs someone to fill in for them. We are building up a substitute list of adults who are willing to fill in when an adult leader can not make the friday night practice (out of town, have to work late, flat tire, car won't start, etc.). Can I add you to that list? This way you can help with the practice and you could get to see the kids in all kinds of areas (song leading, puppets, Bible Reading, Debate, Bible Bowl, songs of praise, etc.). Let me know if I can put you on that list? email me at shmjk0815@gmail.com - Thanks Scott Miller

Here come the dates

You might have seen in the Walter Hill Church Bulletin sunday we have populated the L2L part of the bulletin with the upcoming dates. L2L practice is coming quickly. We have shifted the first friday of practice to Feb 10 instead of Feb 17. The teacher's banquet at Church was originally scheduled for later in Feb, but needed to shift the date to Feb 17. So we have shifted our first day of friday practice to Feb 10 so that all the adult volunteers can be at the first practice and get it rolling.

Here are some dates to note and mark your calendars.

January 21 - UNO Bible Bowl Style at the Millers' House at 3:00

January 22 - Puppet scripts finished so we can have a few weeks to pull together the number of puppets and types of puppets we'll need for our first day of practice. Thanks so much to our puppet script writters! It is most definately a gift to create one of these scripts! God has not blessed me with that gift.

January 31 - Deadline for 2nd payment for the hotel rooms at L2L - $60

February 10 - Movie Premier Night! The short films created are really good! Can't wait to show you the final version. (Movie Premier night is right before the first practice session)

February 10 - First friday night practice session. (be on the look out for your child's friday schedule coming in the mail shortly) **We'll practice each friday night until the convention. If you are unable to make it please let the adult volunteers over the areas you are participating in know so they can schedule their time accordingly. Mark your calendars for these dates!

February 11 - Bible Bowl Practice at Miller's house (Game to be decided later)

February 19 - "Praise God at 5:00" - Year Round L2L activities

March 17 - Bible Bowl Practice at the Millers (Game to be determined)

March 18 -"Praise God at 5:00" - Year Round L2L activities (Great time to practice what you are doing at the convention).

March 30 - Art-Says-It Friday night - Friday night will be focused on creating your art projects for the convention! We'll have a room for each age group and the supplies will be ready to go. Mark Hooper will provide his expertise and guideance in creating your masterpiece.

April 1 - Dress Rehersal Sunday Night!

April 6 - 8 - L2L Convention - Opryland Hotel (more details to come)

April 20 - L2L Banquet at Walter Hill Church of Christ. Celebration of all that our kids have achieved over the past year! Celebrate all activities (from Good Samaratain to scrapbook to speech).

April 21 - Start planning for next year (L2L 2013!)






January

Praising God at 5:00

Every 3rd Sunday at 5:00 (if the phrase can catch, I might start trying to call this session "Praising God at 5:00") some of our guys and gals have prepared Bible verses, Songs to lead and speeches to encourage us.  This is called the year-round events for L2L!  The entire purpose of the year-round events to gain experence and confidence in front of an audience.  The best way to improve is to do it over and over again.  Just like in sports you practice so that you can be prepared for game time. 

Last evening we had the privilege of being lead in song and listening to Bible verses being read to us.  How inspiring!  We were lead in the song "Give me the Bible" (This was the first year-round activity I decided to not bring the song books in the room because most the songs that were being led we were all 100% familar with all the verses.  Probably need to go back to putting the song books in the room to ensure that we all can participate with the verses) and "Awesome God".

Then we listened to numerous scriptures instilling the Word of the Lord into us. 

What a better way to spend our time then filling our minds with The Word!

The ladies went to the college classroom and the girls led their songs, scripture and were even able to her a speech prepared by Abby.

Great job last evening!

The Game of Life L2L Bible Bowl Style

What a busy L2L weekend!  Lots going on.  Saturday the Bible Bowl Teams met at my house (shifted to the Tracy's house due to renovation that I am doing at our house) and played the game of LIFE; Bible Bowl style.

  It was actually a lot of fun!  I was the banker and the question asker (if that is such a word).  Before each player's turn I would ask them a question from their question notebook.  If they got it right then they would get $20k in the game.  If they missed it then the question would shift to the person who is suppose to go next.  They would have an opportunity to "steal" the question.  If they got it right then they would get the $20k in the game.  It kept going down the line until someone got it right.  With multiple choice questions someone would eventually get it right.  We played from about 11:45 till 1:00 and got through a lot of questions.  We weren't able to get the finish of the life game.  In fact we weren't even 30% of the way to the end.  So near 12:50 we stopped and looked to see who was leading at that time.  Mariah Smith was the big winner!

For Bible Bowl we have our own "cup".  Kind of like the Stanley Cup; if you win you get to take it home and display it for all to see.  Then at our next practice/game you bring it back with you and it goes to the next person who wins.  The "Bowl Trophy" is displayed for all players to see while we are playing the game to learn the questions.

Next practice is on Saturday, January 21 at 3:00.  The game is UNO.  We'll be able to work through some additional points if you get the question right along with the UNO game.

Thanks to all who came!

Work Work Work till Jesus Comes

Our elders announced a new program/ministry at Walter Hill for 2012.  The push is to lead others to Christ and grow.  What a great year to do it!  2012!  The theme for this year is Work Till Jesus Comes; which fits perfectly with the theme our elders has selected for 2012.  The focus is sharing the Word.  There is work to do!  I have been working to continue organize the L2L program for the upcoming 2012.  We have so many kids who signed up for L2L this year.  We need quite a few adult volunteers for the program.

Why L2L?

Why L2L? 

That is a good question.  In thinking about this question, I am reminded of the parable of the talents every time (Mathew 25: 14-30).

God has given all of us talents which he expects us to improve and build upon.

The 5 talent guy invested and used his talents and created doubled his talents. Lord's response was "Well done, good and faithful servant!....".  The 1 talent guy was afraid and hid his talent under ground (no one could see his talent).  The Lord's response to this guy was "You wicked, lazy servant!....".  The Lord took his one and only talent and then guy who originally had 5 talents and used his talents to create 10 talents.

I can greatly attest to the fact that if you use a gift that God gives you; you get better at it.  (creating additional talents). 

L2L helps the youth find their talent and invest their talent to create additional talents (gain experience and confidence).  In turn, we are helping to create the Church Leaders of the future!  There are significant other benefits, too.  The adults get to use their talents and skills as well (going along with the parable of using your talents).  Also, our kids become closer (no better friend to have then a Christian Friend), the adults become closer as we work together and enjoy each other's fellowship.

I do feel strongly in the L2L program and pray that this program continues to give us ways to serve others and improve on the gifts that God has given us!

Scott Miller

2012 is here!

Hard to believe 2012 is already here!  Tomorrow is my day back to reality.  Time to get L2L into high gear to be prepared for the convention.  We'll be putting into the "work till Jesus comes" theme the next month or so making sure we are ready for the first day of practice.  As the first of every year, I need to ask, what is the purpose of the L2L purpose and are we meeting our objectives?  What is our goal? 

The main purpose of the L2L is to get as many people to Heaven as possible.  We accomplish that by training our youth to be leaders in the Church.  Training our youth to use their talents for God's purpose and spread the Word.  The question for each one of us involved in the program; are we meeting our main objective?