Paparazzi Series Rewind (Jan & Feb 08)

This January and February Mosaic will be launching a new series on Boys, Girls, Birds, Bees, and following God. As I am preparing, I thought it would be helpful to collect in one post, the links to my last series on the issue. 
paparazzi INTRO 
Flash bulbs explode as people pursue their obsession with finding the next big thrill... extreme sports... extreme partying... extreme clothing... extreme everything... Our culture has gone wild. The message is clear: DO whatever you have to do... give up whatever you need to give up... go as far as you need to go.... all just to have the next thrill... and whatever your do... don't let your values get in the way of your fun. ... but does it really deliver? Or could it be that after experiencing all the extremes people are still extremely empty? Life is a treasure. Don't throw it all away to fast.  
Freedom is overrated  
Paparazzi Week 1: The Proposition.  
Paparazzi 2: hot R not.  
Paparazzi 3: Celebrity 
-Celebrity Video Text:
-Paparazzi VIDEO (Celebrity) 
-News Cast video  
Paparazzi 4: Feb 4th, 2008 (Part 1) 
- Lessons from Duct Tape (Part 2)  
Paparazzi 5: I see London  
-Paparazzi comment round-up: What students are saying. 
Respond!  
And a few other links from other places:
Help Needed  
Sheep with out a Shepherd.

Bored

I was just sitting here thinking that a lot of students will have their teachers convention coming up in a week! YAY! Boy do I remember those well needed breaks throughout the year! I want to challenge students to consider doing something during your break *other* than sitting at home watching TV or mindlessly playing on the computer all day long!

This upcoming Thursday the 29th and Friday the 30th we have two service days Downtown Milwaukee. (note: this is not an overnight) Spots are limited, so if you are interested...sign up ASAP! Cost is only $30 for both days (for lunch, transportation & supplies) (click here for permission form)

Where are we going:
We are working with Straightway Vineyard Church located in Walkers Point. Mosaic Middle School students will combine with the Straightway Middle School Students for a day of teaching and serving in their community. After lunch we will head out into local ministries near their church to serve in a variety of ways. We will then return to Elmbrook Church at 5pm for parents to pick up students.

Schedule:
8:15am Arrive at Elmbrook Church (777 S Barker Rd. Brookfield WI)
9:00am Arrive at Straightway
9:30am Training
11:00am Lunch
12:4:15pm Serving
5:00pm Pick up at Elmbrook Church

What to Bring:
Messy Clothes, Tennis or closed toe shoes, Good attitudes and FRIENDS!

If you have questions:
contact Mark Holcomb at mholcomb@elmbrook.org or 262-786-7051 *636

Crazy Love FUN you have been missing

Tecate 09: Day #6 (Finishing the House)

Today was awesome. We finished, dedicated, and handed over four houses to four very thankful families. Its late, but I will just share that it was a very emotional day as we said goodbye to our new friends, and headed back to our camp.

We have had a great week and God has taught us all so much.

Tomorrow we will be leaving early to head home.

Check out the PIctures HERE:

Tecate 09: Day #5 (Sights Seeing & Rest)

We had an awesome time taking in Tecate's sights, and having a day to relax and recuperate. Because of the heightened security concerns in Mexico, we did not travel to Rosita today. Instead we hung out in Tecate. In the morning, we went to an awesome public stadium to play soccer, hike, and relax in the shade. Nothing quite like playing soccer in 100 degree weather on a dirt field!

After lunch, we headed out to downtown Tecate. The town has a square with a fountain where people congregate. Around the square, were many shops to find Mexican jerseys, souvenirs, food, and trinkets. It was cool to see Tecate and be able to spend some time just watching the people of the city move about.

Tonight we talked about what it means to follow Jesus in a world with so many distractions. We considered the questions together of "where are the workers?" Jesus told his disciples that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Why are they few? How can there be so many Christians, and yet so few workers? Perhaps it is because so many of us are so distracted by life that we forget why we are really here.

Tomorrow is our last day on the sights. We will be finishing the houses and dedicating them. It is hard to believe it is our last day with our families. We have been so touched by what God has done in our midst this week.


Check out Mosaic Pictures HERE:


Check out Insight Pictures HERE:

Tecate 09: Day #4 (Roof & VBS)

Yet another great day!!!

Today all of our groups got out roofs up!!! We still have work to do, but the trusses are all up, and the plywood sheeting is mostly up as well. VBS was also great today, and our students had a great time singing songs with the Mexican students and telling them about Jesus love. It has been great to continue to build relationships with the families that we are building houses for. Their stories are so awesome, and we are totally blessed to get to be a part of what God is doing in their life.

Tonight in our evening session we explored a simple 4 letter word. THEY. They is a word that we often use when we are talking about a group of people. They are ______________. Often when we do this, we are grouping an entire nationality of people together into a single group and assigning a characteristic which might be true of a few, to them all. While in Mexico we have seen how harmful these groupings can really be. We were challenged tonight to really think about who they "THEYs" were in our life, and what is would mean to really get a more dynamic and fully formed view of people. One that goes beyond stereotype.

Tomorrow is our rest day. We will be sleeping in a little, and then heading around town to play some soccer, and shop for some items we need for our houses.


Check out Brandon's Mosaic Pictures HERE:

Check out Insight Pictures HERE:

TECATE 09: Day #3 (Building)

Today was another great day. In addition to playing with hoards of local children who have shown up to hang out with us, we also managed to get the walls up on all four of the houses that Elmbrook groups are building. Our groups have been pitching in with servants hearts to help get things done. One of our groups is smaller because a few of its students had to drop out of the trip, but the other groups are kicking in extra to help them when they need it. (The 6 students on that group are also really hard workers, so they are holding their own!)

Putting the walls up is a major accomplishment in the building process both emotionally and practically. Practically it is a major turning point as it signifies a sort of halfway point in the the putting up of the house. Emotionally, there is nothing like seeing the pile of lumber we are greeted with on the first day. It feels so great to see the results of our efforts. It is months of faith finally materialized into a physical shell that now is starting to look like the home and protection that it will be for this family. In a real way, it is our faith made physical. Way cool!

Tonight we talked about how blessed we are as a people. We have so much, and often we do not think about how the choices in our lives, effect other people, even people on the other side of the world. Part of being rich as a country is realizing how blessed we are, and part of it is realizing how our blessing makes us responsible to help other who we are able.

Tomorrow, we will be working more on our house. We will be trying hard to put on the roof. Fun TIMES!!!

Check out Brandon's Mosaic Pictures HERE:

Check out Insight Pictures HERE:

TECATE 09: Day 2 (Starting)

We survived the heat, and actually made some phenomenal progress on building our houses today. We also met our families, and had a great time getting to know a ton of local Mexican kids who showed up to hang out with us and play some soccer, baseball, and even work together on the houses. Its amazingly cool to swing a hammer or paint along side the people we are hear to serve.

The heat is intense, as we are right up on top of a hill without much shade, but we take lots of water breaks and the mission discovery trucks come around regularly to hit us up with Gatorade. That said, it has been incredible to see how hard our students play and work in the sun and heat. They really are a great example of the love of Christ.

Tonight at our evening session we talked about blindness. Not physical blindness, but a blindness that happens when we train ourselves not see the needs of the people around us, and even eventually to stop even seeing needy people at all. We do it all the time, just like the story of the Good Samaritan that is found in Luke 10:25. The answer for this is to ask Jesus to help us see the world, ourselves, and others like he does.

Tomorrow we are building again, and starting VBS with the kids.

Check out Mosaic Pictures HERE:

Check out Insight Pictures HERE:

TECATE 09: Day 1 (TRAVEL)

We are HERE!!! Travel today went great. God revealed himself to us in many ways even as we set out. Last night, one of our leaders had to back out of the trip because she was sick. So at 9pm, we were able to find another leader who was willing to go at the last minute and able to be ready in less than 12 hours to get on a plane. AMAZING.

WE were even able to convince the ticket agent that this was a great idea... way amazing.

Our flight was uneventful, and then we jumped on a bus in San Diego, and after a brief lunch, we were off of Tecate.

When we arrived it was crazy hot, but we were able get all settled in in time to jump in the pool and cool down.

Dinner was incredible (tacos and quesadillas) and then we were off to our first evening session.

Our topic for the night was how God had created the world whole, but that it has been deeply fractured by sin. Jesus offers us healing for our own brokenness and the opportunity to participate in his healing of the whole world!!!

Check out the Mosaic Pictures HERE:

Check out the Insight Pictures HERE:

And they arrived

The group landed in San Diego on time and collected all of the luggage. Boarded busses and off to one last meal in the U.S.A. before crossing the border.

We all made it to Rancho La Paloma safely and have just finished enjoying a dip in the pool, as it is sort of warm down here in July. That's all for now, until later...

Invasion 09 Pictures!!! The Invasion 09 Pictures are on Flickr!!! (1775 of them!)

Click HERE for 1775 Invasion 09 PIctures

DSC_2171.JPG, originally uploaded by thebrownsquirrel.

Click HERE for 1775 Invasion 09 PIctures

Cell Phone Fast

So a few weeks ago at the Mosaic end of year party I was talking to a group of people and they were telling me how hard it would be to go without their cell phone for a WHOLE day. This made me think, shouldn't we be able to go longer without something like a cell phone? In the Bible it talks about fasting from food and instead spending that time with God; I think the same can apply to technology today, whether it's cell phones, video games, facebook or email. Matthew 6:16-18 talks about this idea - check it out.

What do you all think?

Fun Video Invite for our Leaders!

Malaria is a potentially fatal infection of the blood usually occuring when a person is bitten by a mosquito that carries the disease.

Malaria is

PREVENTABLE & TREATABLE.

But somehow 350-500 million people are infected with malaria every year. African children under the age of five all account for 75% of those who die—that's 3000 children each day. (source unicef)

BITE BACK on May 12.

Mosaic ministry will match the first 100 nets given. (which means we double the first 100 to make 200) Come ready to impact the lives of families living in Africa.

www.biteback.net

Hey Students! On May 12th we are collecting money to buy mosquito nets for families in Africa! They only cost $10 a net, and save lives.. So come prepared that night to buy a net. For more information check out BITEBACK.NET or email mark at Mholcomb@elmbrook.org

"If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito."

Every African knows this is true because mosquitoes carry malaria—a tropical disease that kills over 750,000 children each year. That’s one child every 30 seconds. In Africa, mosquitoes make a huge difference in the lives of poor families and children.

And it all starts with a tiny bite.

More examples of Spring Break Boredom: ANother Peep video

Spring Break is Here... What are you going to do?

Don't know what to do with all your spring break free time? Check out the fun video that some local students created.

Check it out!! this is the latest picture of all the postcards!! even those wood letters at the top went through the mail! you guys are super creative and the cards bring great joy!! keep sending them in.

Laughing Baby Brown

Postcards!!!

Check out your cards that you have sent it.. there is room for more!

Hero Movie: Grant's Story (Hero Rising)

Grant was extraordinarily average...

Average in every conceivable way, Grant is the classic anti-hero. Nothing about him seems to make him likely to succeed, unless conviction and integrity, counted as a superpower.

Grants life has been troubled lately as his group of friends seems to be falling apart. Last summer, they all traveled to Mexico with their church to build houses for people living in poverty. The trip had drawn them all so close, but now Grant is starting to feel like it is all falling apart. Ben flaked out and became a ladies man, Sierra and Kaleigh are always fighting, Sara is even more sullen than before and Skitz (Trevor), Grants best friend is never around.

None of his friends seemed to have time to listen to his problems which is unfortunate because deep in the suburban sprawl a student in Grants school had a very large problem that Grant needs help to address. A mutant 8th grade giant who Bullied Wimpy Wimperson every single day. Much too small to resolve the situation himself, Wimpy endured his large problem alone.

Will anyone help Wimpy out?

Hero Movie: Sierra's Story (An E.Z. Mistake)

Sierra was extraordinarily faithful... 

Sierra was really serious about God and her faith. She was extraordinarily serious in fact. So serious that she was a little prone to being judgmental. She would gladly give Jesus her life, so long as it did not mean enduring life among the sinners.
Growing up in a good church and learning from an early age of God’s love and the life that He wants everyone to live, Sierra had doubt which path she wants to live on. But while her love for God is strong, her understanding of others is still forming. To her, she doesn’t get why people would choose anything else. Her patience and respect for them are pretty thin...

until the day she made on EASY little mistake...

Hero 6 An E Zmistake

View more presentations from Brandon Brown. (tags: mosaic middle)

Hero Movie: Kaleigh's Story (Torn In Two)

Kaleigh was right on the edge of popularity.

6 months ago, so was a nobody and didnt even care, but then it happened; her boyfriend Ben dumped her and her sheltered and perfect world collapsed. She cant seem to get over the thought that if she was more popular, then maybe she would still be dating the school's rising star, Ben. Kaleigh walks the fine line of being almost popular, but also trying to maintain her good image with her friends and parents.

Popularity could be hers though, if only she is willing to reach for it. Should she stick to her friends who have always been there for her, and who have known her for years, or trade them all for a chance to be truly popular. Seems like an easy question to answer, but not for Kaleigh.

Hero Series: What makes a Hero?

Nobody can save the day for everyone, but almost everyone can help someone.

The Problem isn’t our lack of ability, it is our lack of effort. All around us people struggle and hurt, yet we do not engage. We hold back and wait to see what happens. The end of this process is that we become spectators to the painful problems of others as if we have no part in the outcome.

But we do.

We have the ability to help people, nearly every day.

We have a choice. Will we help others around us, or will we keep our abilities for ourselves.

Hero 1: What Makes a Hero

View more presentations from Brandon Brown. (tags: middle mosaic)

Hero Movie Ben's Story.

Ben is extraordinary in many ways... Blessed by the gods of puberty Ben is the antithesis of middle school awkwardness. He is unusually confident and in control, light years ahead of his class developmentally. His confidence has been reinforced by his recent interactions with girls. He is bright, gifted, articulate, funny, and in many ways he is achieving popularity effortlessly. But there is a cost. Bens drive to explore his new popular life has led him to many places once unimagined. Ben grew up in a good Christian home, but His newfound success with the ladies has led him to put his faith and values on hold. While some people ride the fence, Ben has jumped it entirely. He has traded faith and God, for pleasure and popularity. Ben is not the alone.

Hero 4: (Ben's Story) Double Agent

View more presentations from Brandon Brown. (tags: elmbrook church)

Hero Movie: Skitz's Story.

Skitz was failing as a friend. For some reason he had changed and had not bothered to give his friends the memo. They looked in at his life and wanted to be part of it, but he did not know how to invite them in. Even his best friend was starting to wonder what his deal was, how could a kid with his whole life through college scheduled in his iPhone be so unavailable.



This is a rough cut, so there is still some work to be done on it.
Make sure to click on the "Watch in High Quality" link. It is in the lower right corner of the player

Hero 3: (Skitz Story) The Good We Ought...

View more presentations from Brandon Brown. (tags: nexus hero)

Hero Movie: Sarah's Story.

This clip is a montage from the upcoming Hero Movie that we shot last summer. It chronicles the life of Sarah, one of the main characters. While at school she seems to be falling further and further behind, her she has a secret that will explain it all.

This is a rough cut, so there is still some work to be done on it.
Make sure to click on the "Watch in High Quality" link. It is in the lower right corner of the player

Hero 2: (Sarah's Story) Secret Identity

View more presentations from Brandon Brown. (tags: elmbrook church)

Invasion Summer Camp Video (Finally!!!)

Due to cascading technical difficulties, and not having enough time to really work them out, I am just now, finally posting the summer camp video. May it remind you that the sun will come up tom... er... eventually.

(You can view extremely high resolution versions of these videos on youtube.)

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3: