Mar
19
TFN Recap: Bowling Some Strikes Before the Final Frame
By Richard Y | 1 comment
The end of Winter Quarter 2012 is near! To unwind and spare our minds of the looming finals week, we took a trip out to the bowling alley for an evening of wholesome fun and strikingly impressive bowling skills. Pastor Daniel shared with us a message from Mark 7 about the Syrophonecian Woman, showing us again where we stand before God and how we don't deserve the grace that we have received from Him. Indeed, we can't lay claim over God regarding anything, but for some reason He has graciously given us many blessings in our lives. We ended the Bible study with a Q & A time with Pastor Daniel, where he answered several of our questions, ranging from how to be a good witness to our friends and family, to how important the church is in encouraging us and helping us to grow spiritually. After we wrapped up the Bible study, we made our way out to the bowling alley, where we witnessed some incredible feats (the turkeys bowled by a couple of our brothers), as well as some gripping near-misses to get that elusive spare. We also enjoyed some great pizza and soda refreshments between frames as we chatted, cheered, and encouraged one another. It was a great evening of spurring each other on and we hope that this would be an emotional boost for everyone as we enter into finals week. Hope you guys all study hard and rock those finals!
Mar
14
De-Stress with a2f!
By Tracy | 2 comments
TFN Large Group 3/16/12 6:30pm @ MPR Hi Everyone! Since it's so close to finals, we didn't want to throw out anything new and spontaneous, so we'll be meeting all together for TFN this Friday. We'll be meeting in the MPR, the same room we had one of the Winter Welcome Nights (wow! that welcome night felt so long ago!) It's located in the Student Service Center, a.k.a. building with Yogurtworld. Come by at 6:30pm. We'll be starting with a yummy dinner. Also just a heads up, we'll be going bowling after bible study! Nothing like knocking down a row of bowling pins to help channel out all the stress of studying for finals. So come de-stress with a2f. See you guys on Friday! I know you guys have heard things here and there, but finally the word's out! a2f is going on a trip during the latter half of spring break (Thursday through Saturday). Sign up here or at the super convenient button icon in the right column!
Mar
14
Sister's TFN Recap: An Experience to be Treasured
By Tracy | 1 comment
The sisters also had a very memorable TFN. Some sisters came to Fisk early to help out with the decorations and food prep. It felt like fine dining at Fisk with flowers in vases on each dinner table. We had some really yummy tri-tip kabobs, basmati rice and spring mix salad. The brother staff didn't think we could finish all the meat. Boy, did we prove them wrong! The food was so delicious that our photographer forgot to document this dining experience. It wasn't just the food that made this night special.The theme of the night is Treasured Possession. Sarah led us in our bible study with Tracy and Jessica Chao sharing about the different ways they come to see themselves as treasured in God's sight through their encounter with God. Sarah challenged us to really question the messages and values that the world sends through the media and social norms that fuel our sense of inadequacy. We studied the text in John 8 of the woman caught in adultery and how it is Jesus' forgiveness that made it possible for her to turn from a life of sin. Change happens when we trust in God's love. After bible study we had a time of sharing where each of us got to make a timeline of our lives, documenting the significant events, the hardships, and our realizations. Visualizing how our lives played out really helped us reflect over how things that happened in our past really shapes who we are today. After sharing our life journeys, we stashed away our timeline pieces in mini treasure boxes, signifiying that our lives, with all the ups and downs, are treasured by God. We ended the night with a chocolate feast of fondue and a mini talent show featuring the weird and quirky as well as the authentic talents amongst our group. It was definitely a night we all treasure and remember.
Mar
13
Brother's TFN Recap: a Manly Experience in so Many Manly Ways
By Tracy | 1 comment
We had an incredibly memorable Brothers' Night last Friday. We gathered in the Yosemite Room in Warren College. The staff prepared some gourmet burgers -- home-made patties with morsels of pepper-jack cheese inside, served with a variety of toppings. What a treat! The biggest treat of all was Pastor Daniel's presentation, as he shared with us so many things he prepared and did research on, showing us the state of our modern society. Indeed, the media and our surrounding culture has done so much to desensitize us and get us to focus on the exterior, leading us to neglect the most important things that make us fundamentally human: character, courage, virtue, love, selflessness, and self-control. We learned from a variety of examples in our modern culture, from the chivalry of the men aboard the Titanic, to the selfishness of those aboard the Costa Concordia, as well as the kind of people that the media tries to shape us into through magazines, TV shows, and movies. In the end, we were challenged to live lives of character, focusing on developing virtue and being mature men of our age. Afterwards, we put Pastor Daniel's lesson to work by playing Blind Swordsman/Gunman, trusting in our friends and not just on what our eyes can see. Afterwards we went out to Warren Field to play a little bit of Ultimate Frisbee, followed by game time at Price Center. In the end, it was a very memorable time, reminding us that our bonds together as brothers is much more precious than what the world tells us to value.
Mar
07
TFN: Brother's Night & Sister's Night
By Tracy | 1 comment
To keep you guys on your toes, we're switching things up again! This Friday all the brothers will be meeting on campus and all the sisters will be going to Fisk House. Looking forward to the cross-class fellowship time! TFN: Friday 3/9/12 Brothers: 6:30pm @ Yosemite Room (next to Canyon Vista dining hall in Warren College) Sisters: 6:30pm Rides @ Triton Statue & Pangea Parking Lot Blast from the Past: some brothers' and sisters' fellowship times from last year! Also, just a reminder, it's that dreaded time of the year... Spring Daylight Savings! Remember to turn your clocks forward 1 hour on Saturday night. You wouldn't want to be late to SK1, or miss out on the Course 101 brunch followed by a Q&A session! SK1: 11:30am @ 113 Center Hall Course 101 Brunch: 12:30pm @ Price Center West, ERC Room
Mar
05
Kickin' It with a2f
By Tracy | 4 comments
This past Friday we got together by class for TFN. All the freshmen gathered at Fisk house and all the "SUPs" (sophomores and up) stayed on campus. The Freshman Experience: This past weekend gave us all a kick!... in the head and heart from God's Word through a poignant Bible Study and a "kick" in the shoe from playing kickball under the bright lights at Standley Park! To start off the night, Mike led us in a Bible study through Mark 7. We learned about the Pharisees and how they did not have God's heart in mind when they performed their religious rituals. We learned about the importance of understanding God's heart in obeying his commands as we live out our lives. After the Bible study we ate some delicious sun-dried tomato & chicken pasta that really hit the spot! To work off all the carbs we consumed, we went to Standley Park and played some old school kickball! We divided the teams up by Northern Cal Vs So Cal (+ out-of-state and International students) It was an exciting and close game but in the end the SoCalers prevailed 8-7! To finish off our night we went back to Fisk house and played some King Kong Shower where SoCal was victorious again. We ended the night with a new memory game called Empire. The SUPs Perspective Similar to the Freshmen, the SUPS studied Mark 7 on the Pharisees and their lack of understanding of God's heart behind his commandments. After Bible study, we divided into 4 teams and had an epic on-campus scavenger hunt! Here are some of the highlights from our picturesque night: We rounded out the night with some good ol' milk tea at Tap Ex. Don't miss out on this Friday's TFN: the brothers are meeting on campus while the sisters will be meeting at Fisk.
Feb
29
TFN by Class
By Tracy
TFN by Class 3/2/12 @ 6:30pm TFN is by class this Friday. Freshmen will be meeting at Fisk so rides will be at Triton statue and Pangea at 6:30pm. The SUPs will be staying on campus and meeting up at 212 Center Hall. See you guys on Friday!
Feb
28
Recap: TFN Small Groups
By Tracy
Last Friday we had another one of our variety TFNs where each small group met in various staff homes. Whether it was at Fisk (P. Daniel and Sarah's place), or one of the staff apartments, each group took the time to study Mark 6, the feeding of the 5,000. We discussed how the disciples must have felt, being asked to feed 5,000 men, which would have costed roughly 8 months' wages. But Jesus only asked them to give what they had, and to bring it to him to multiply. It was a very encouraging text, as there are so many circumstances in which our response is to focus on what we don't have, and to think that we never have enough. But like the disciples, we all have something we can bring to Jesus, no matter how much we feel like we're lacking. During our post-Bible study hang out time, each group tried out something new. The SUP bros checked out a lit field near Fisk and played a rousing round of the schoolyard favorite, kickball! The frosh bros drove to Mt. Soledad, which overlooks the city of San Diego. In the meantime, all the sisters took a stroll over to Fisk, had some s'mores over the fire pit and sang some songs. They ended the night with a Best of the Best competition and we found out who was the strongest, most "grounded", and most artistic! This week we'll be having TFN by class! Good luck on your midterms, and be on the lookout for a call from one of the staff :)
Feb
23
The Weekly Announcement
By Tracy
TFN Small Groups Friday 2/22 This Friday we're back to our homey TFN Small Groups. Your small group leader will contact you regarding time and location. As we're getting back into the swing of things, here are a few other highlights for the week: As many of us just got back from the winter retreat and expressed interest in reading God's word together, we're starting a new sister's DT group time on Thursdays at 9pm. All the DT group meeting times are listed in the right column. This Sunday we are resuming our Course 101 and SK1 classes on Sunday. SK1 will start at 11:30am and Course 101 will start at 12pm.
Feb
22
Recap: Winter Retreat
By Jessica Y | 3 comments
Wow! What a weekend! Many of us got to spend the long weekend at Palomar Mountain at our first San Diego winter retreat, where we spent extended time hearing God’s word and listening to testimonies from various brothers and sisters from our churches. God was clearly at work in our midst as several people received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior for the very first time, and many others rededicated their lives! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness in the lives of these brothers and sisters! We also spent a lot of time hanging out and fellowshipping together.
Feb
16
Winter Retreat Weekend!
By Tracy
TFN Large Group Friday 2/17 @ 6:30pm Location: 105 Center Hall This Friday is TFN large group starting with dinner at 6:30pm. Afterwards we'll be heading over to Price Center for some study time so bring your books! Saturday through Monday will be our first ever San Diego Winter Retreat. We'll be leaving for the retreat site at 10am Saturday morning. It's going to be such a meaningful and memorable time! If you still want to go, you can still sign up. For those of you who won't be able to make it to the retreat, please take note of the location change for Sunday worship service. We'll be meeting at 113 Center Hall at 2pm. Due to retreat, there will be no SK1 or Course 101 this Sunday.
Feb
13
TFN Recap: Valentine's Day of Compassion Prep
By Richard Y
Hi everyone! Hope you're caught up after all the midterms and papers over the past couple of weeks. this past Friday was TFN by class. The frosh met at Peterson Hall and the SUPs at Fisk House. Both groups had an interactive bible study through the story of Jairus and the bleeding woman. We were able to step into the shoes of the characters, getting a glimpse of their perspective and mindset as the story unfolded. In the end, we were able to see how these people, desperate for healing, were able to meaningfully connect with Jesus. After our Bible Study, we gathered at Fisk, and prepared for our upcoming Valentine's Day of Compassion. We prepared some nice crafts and rehearsed some songs with which we hope to express God's love. It was really cool to see everyone gathered together at Fisk to prepare these things, working hard but having great fellowship at the same time. We'll be having out Valentine's Day visits tomorrow. Will share with ya'll in a few days!
Feb
07
Half Time!
By Tracy
Those of you who are diligently keeping up with your class syllabi know that this is Week 5, meaning we're halfway done with winter quarter! Whether you see it as being halfway done of halfway more to go, keep up with your studies because exciting things are coming up this month: Valentine's Day of Compassion Valentine’s Day of Compassion is a tradition that we are starting here in San Diego. We want to make this day into an opportunity to serve our community, to show love and care for those who need it the most. In the past we’ve gone to places such as homeless shelters and elderly care homes where we perform skits and songs and present crafts and gifts to brighten the lives of the residents. Please sign up here and set aside some time starting from 4pm to dinner time of Tuesday 2/14. Winter Retreat 2/18-2/20 (Saturday ~ Monday) Remember to sign up for the Winter Retreat that's taking place President's Day weekend (2/18-2/20). It is a good time mid-quarter to be refreshed by God's Word. We'll be getting away from campus and having our retreat at Palomar Christian Conference Center. The retreat starts at 10am on Saturday and goes until Monday afternoon. The registration fee is $75 to cover the cost of lodging and food. TFN by Class Friday 2/10 @ 6:30pm Freshmen: 104 Peterson Sophomores & Up: Fisk House (rides @ Pangea & Triton) This coming Friday, we'll be having TFN by class. Yes, not small group, not large group, but "medium"-sized group! This is a good opportunity to get to know everyone in your year and to study God's Word together.
Feb
06
Recap Friday: The Priiice is Right!
By Tracy | 3 comments
If you happened to walk by Center Hall last Friday, loud hollering and cheering could be heard from room 109. That’s because after 2 weeks of small group, we were finally back at Center Hall for large group TFN. Back at our good ol’ spot off of Library Walk, we started the night with a “Make Your Own” burrito dinner. Pastor Daniel continued on in our study through Mark, picking up where we left off at chapter 4 which covers some parables Jesus taught and ending with the incident where Jesus calms the storm. He showed how these parables are so true to life, and what happens to our hearts when we choose to be either generous or stingy. It’s either an upward spiral of growing in your heart for others, or a downward spiral of your heart shriveling up more and more. Also, through the account of Jesus calming the storm, we learned that the storms of life hit even with Jesus by our side, which dispels the common misconception that Christian life should always be easy and free of problems. After the message, our game show host, "Richie" Rich, led us through a rousing round of “The Price Is Right.” We got into groups and each round we sent up representatives who would guess the correct price of an item projected on the screen. Since the team scores were so close, we ended the night with a couple rounds of “Minute to Win It”. Each team sent up representatives to compete in some wacky competition where their goal is to complete as much of the task as possible in 60 seconds. There was a saltine cracker eating competition (easier said than done, by the way), and an outrageous toilet paper roll competition that tested out the competitors’ abilities to do really fast arm circles. They all looked like hilarious hummingbirds! It's too bad that some of you couldn't join us this past Friday due to midterms. We hope to see you this Friday where we’ll be meeting by class. If you don’t know where to go, feel free to call up one of the staff! See you this Friday!
Feb
01
We're Back! TFN @ Center Hall
By Tracy
TFN Large Group 6:30pm @ 109 Center Hall After two weeks of small group TFN, we are back at Center Hall this Friday. We start at 6:30pm with a home-cooked meal. Remember to sign up for the Winter Retreat that's taking place President's Day weekend (2/18-2/20). It is a good time mid-quarter to be refreshed by God's word. We'll be getting away from campus and having our retreat at Palomar Christian Conference Center. The Retreat starts at 10am on Saturday and goes until Monday afternoon. the registration fee is $75 to cover the cost of lodging and food. Don't forget about DT group meetings at the Price Center. No need to sign up. Just show up if you happen to be free during one of the time-slots below. It's always encouraging to read God's Word together with others and to hear each other's insights. Guys Location: Price Center (seating area across from Yogurtworld) Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9-10pm Wednesdays: 1-2pm Girls Location: Price Center (in front of Burger King) Tuesday & Fridays: 11am-12pm Tuesdays: 9-10pm Wednesday: 1-2pm
Jan
31
Small Group Snapshot: Frosh Friday
By Tracy | 2 comments
One of the reasons we wanted to have small group TFNs is because we know that guys and girls are drawn to different things. I think it's funny how we can plan for the same event but get completely different results. The freshman experience this past Friday proves my point exactly: The two freshman brothers' small groups met at Fisk House (Pastor Daniel and Sarah's house) and the Freshman sisters small group met at Jessica's apartment. The bros had some "Man's" pasta filled with TONS of meat: hot links, ground beef, kielbasa, you name it, it was there! The sisters decided to take on a more sophisticated, quality over quantity approach by having some Pesto chicken pasta. After dinner, to work off the coma-inducing meal, both groups had some icebreaker time before the Bible study. The brothers played a round of paper basketball where the objective of the game was to get a ball of paper across the room into a wastebasket by dribbling it on a clipboard. It wasn't easy but hilarious to watch. Over at Jessica's place, the sisters had a cozy time of sharing through making small booklets highlighting the story of their lives. Both groups studied Mark 4, the Parable of the Sower. It helped us to gain insight in how we listen and receive the word of God. There's many ways in which we can be like bad soil, causing us to not listen and put into practice what we hear. Whether it may be distractions, worries, or other priorities, this passage gives warning that we must examine what kind of attitude we have when we approach God's Word. After the Bible Study, the sisters small group joined the brothers at Fisk and challenged them to a King Kong Shower Tournament! Miraculously the brothers succeeded in knocking off the sisters in an exciting and competitively matched finale. Playing King Kong Shower takes a lot of energy, so we decided to go to McDonald's for some late night nuggets, fries, Big Macs, and soft serves The brothers totally pigged out while the sisters opted to feel refreshed rather than overly stuffed (note the quantity of food that was bought by each respective group). Then the unthinkable happened: while we were there, the lights went out! We didn't want our fellowship to end on account of the lack of lighting, so we continued to eat until the employees had to finally kick us out. We ended the night by looking at stars and waves at La Jolla Cove!
Jan
27
Don't Forget!
By Tracy
Don't forget! We are having Small Group TFN this Friday. Be on a lookout for a phone call from one of the staff regarding time and location for your small group. If you are new, don't hesitate to call up one of the staff (contact info in the right column) Don't forget! Starting this week, we're having DT group meetings at the Price Center. No need to sign up. Just show up if you happen to be free during one of the time-slots below. It's always encouraging to read God's Word together with others and to hear each other's insights. Guys Location: Price Center (seating area across from Yogurtworld) Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9-10pm Wednesdays: 1-2pm Girls Location: Price Center (in front of Burger King) Tuesday & Fridays: 11am-12pm Tuesdays: 9-10pm Wednesday: 1-2pm Don't forget! Sign up for the Winter Retreat that's taking place President's Day weekend (2/18-2/20). It is a good time mid-quarter to be refreshed by God's word. We'll be getting away from campus and having our retreat at Palomar Christian Conference Center. The Retreat starts at 10am on Saturday and goes until Monday afternoon. the registration fee is $75 to cover the cost of lodging and food.
Jan
23
Small Group TFNs
By Tracy
Here's a recap of the different activities that took place this past Friday at our first ever Small Group TFNs! For those of you who haven't heard, we are introducing small group TFNs to our Friday repertoire this quarter to give you guys the opportunity to get to know each other and have the chance to fellowship at our homes in a more cozy setting. This past Friday, each group had their own unique activities planned, ranging from arts and crafts to going to the batting cages. With the groups being a lot smaller than our typical 80+ large group TFNs, each group had some amazing dinners such as BBQ ribs, make-your-own California rolls, pizza bagels, Pizookies, and homemade taro sago. If you're sad that you missed out on this past Friday, no worries! We are having another Small Group TFN this Friday. Your staff will contact you regarding time and location and if you're new, feel free to call up one of the staff (phone numbers listed in the right column).
Jan
18
Weekend of Firsts
By Tracy
There's so much to look forward to this weekend! No, it's not just the beginning of Lunar New Year, but it's also the first ever small group TFN and the start of Course 101 and SUPs Thrive! Now that we're starting small group TFNs, things can get a little confusing. If you find yourself at a loss of where to go, contact one of the staff in your group. There's a handy dandy list of contacts in the right column if you don't know who to call. Sunday 1/22/12 @ 12pm 104 Peterson Hall The first Course 101 meeting will be at noon at 104 Peterson Hall. You should've received the week 1 material to be completed before class time on Sunday. Let us know if you need a packet. Sunday 1/22/12 @ 12pm 102 Peterson Hall Starting this Sunday is also the first SUPs Thrive course (geared towards Sophomore and Up Christians who have taken Course 101). Like I said, exciting things are happening this weekend. Don't Miss out!
Jan
16
Recap -- Winter Welcome Night
By Tracy
It was a grand welcome indeed as we put on 3 a2f welcome nights to start off the new year and quarter! First time ever having 3 at the same time and we had a blast! Through it we were able to meet and get to know many new friends, as well as old ones who were able to make it to one of the three locations we offered. One welcome night was at ERC's Asante room, the other at Warren's Yosemite Room, and the third was at the MPR. Each location was packed with people and ERC's Asante room was so full that people were standing! We began our welcome night at 6:30 PM with a fun yet challenging icebreaker that consisted of different true or false facts about UCSD. After that we showed a video introducing our group and what we are about. Following the video, our awesome skit teams put on a funny yet poignant skit called "Race of a Lifetime". Pastor Daniel, James, and Michael each gave a message based off of the skit at their respective locations. They talked about how they have experienced life being like a race, how we have such a limited amount of time on this earth, and the importance of finding out the purpose and meaning of it all. We ended the night with some Korean BBQ marinated to perfection! A big shout out to our friends from Berkeley, SFSU, and UT Austin for using a part of their winter break to help us out. We're thankful to be a part of our network of sister fellowships for without them a lot of the flyering, skits, songs and activities couldn't have happened without them. It was awesome to see God's people in action. Though we're sad so say good-bye to our Berkeley/SF/Austin friends, we're really excited for all that is happening this quarter. This past Friday, we had our first TFN of the quarter at the MPR with Pastor Daniel giving a message in continuation of the Winter Welcome Night talk on life’s purpose. He gave a memorable demonstration of a mouse trap to show how for things such as a mouse trap, it’s easy to conclude what its purpose is and to evaluate whether it’s a good or bad one. But for people, it’s a little harder to tell and that’s why this quest for life’s purpose has been long and confusing for many. But there are good answers to this question and it’s an important question as it sets the trajectory of our lives. After the message we had a good time getting to know each other through Charades relay, followed by an impromptu trip to La Jolla Shores to walk along the beach for some fresh night air. We ended the night at the local Denny’s where we packed into the upper room and took over a good half of the restaurant! It was definitely a night to remember.