Monday, December 1, 2008

Alex's Involvement in Youth Sunday!!!

Ok, so not only did Aaron get baptised this past sunday, and Austin preach for two services, but Alex took an important roll in this service as well!

Alex has been taking music lessons since he was 6 years old I think. First piano, but most recently he's been learning the guitar. He takes lessons every monday afternoon for the past 4 years or so.

Well, this sunday, he played his guitar during the adult worship services. He did a great job! We are so proud of him for choosing to serve the Lord using his gifts and talents to do so!!! (Truly, Our cup runneth over!) How much more blessed could a set of parents be, but to see their children grow to love the Lord!

Not only did he play his guitar for the two services...he also read the Scripture for the Communion Meditation! Most of you know about Alex's struggles with Dyslexia. We are so proud of him for standing up in front of so many and doing something as personal as reading out loud! We are very proud of all the hard work he has put in to getting to this point! He did GREAT!

I will be attempting to at least get an audio version of our service up so you all can hear it! If I can...I'll just put up a few clips! (So you don't have to listen to the whole service...although...you might want to hear Alex play guitar and Austin the drums)!! The proud mother that I am...you may just have to fastforward through the parts you don't want to hear! ;-)

Anyway, thanks for sharing our excitement with us! Whatever did we do without blogs??!!

Our Love to All!

Austin's First Sermon!

Ok, so not only did Aaron get baptised sunday morning, but Austin had his first opportunity to preach a sermon!

Not only did he preach it once-but twice! First and Second Service. I'm hoping I'll be able to get a video or at least an audio posted so you can listen to it as well. He did a GREAT job! Adam and I are very proud of how he is commiting his life to Christ. Our prayers have been answered!

This sermon ended up being several firsts for the Aberle family. Particularly, for Austin. He wore his very first 3 piece suit (even though he decided to leave the vest at home). That was quite an adventure! He and Adam went shopping for a suit, just for his sermon! I know he'll get many years of use out of that suit. Growing up, you only got nice clothing like that because you were growing up! And because you were almost full grown! I can't believe how quickly the years have passed! Is he really preparing for college...already?!?

Another first, was that Austin played the drums in his fancy suit and fancy shoes! Austin played the first song because it was a youth sunday (the youth praise team assists the adult praise team and other important rolls). On the fifth Sunday of each month the youth get up and help in whatever way they can with serving the congregation. (Which leads to an opportunity for the youth to do things like...serve communion, pray, greet, preach, play music, run sound and projection etc.) All in an effort to teach students a love for serving.

Aaron's Baptism

Yesterday, Sunday, November 30, 2008 Aaron gave his life to Christ and was immersed into the family of God.

Adam and I are incredibly proud of him for his decision. It all happened something like this...

The previous Sunday night Aaron came to me and said "Mom, I need to talk to you tonight". I responded with the usual response "ok, let me finish this and then we'll talk". (I knew it was something important...funny how that "feeling" strikes you as a parent when you know it's definitely NOT something you should put off.)

I sat down and talked with him. He was able to answer all my questions and I believe he totally understood what was going on completely. I asked him how long he'd been thinking about it. He said "a couple months". When I asked him why he waited to talk to me or dad about it so long, he simply said that he "was suffering from stage fright". He was just scared to tell everyone his decision.

We encouraged him that everyone there loves him and can't wait for him to make this decision.

I asked him if he'd talked to Adam yet, he said "No, but I'm going to tonight." Him and Adam proceeded to talk quite a bit through sunday evening. First thing monday morning Aaron was ready to call the youth minister and meet with him. PHATROK sent home a booklet for him to work through and he spent an hour and a half completing it. Then he spent most of tuesday talking and hanging with PHATROK.


He was very loud and proud as he stood in the baptistry with PHATROK (our youth minister) and confessed his faith. Halleluia!! we rejoice with the angels!!