Chapel March 8, 2010

Good Morning

Before we pray and get into God’s Word I would like to recognize our Boys Basketball team for a great effort on Friday night. For those of you who went, what a great crowd you were. Wonderful support. It was really cool to see the entire side of the gym filed with Lancer fans. Our band was on. Our cheer support great.

As I told the boys on Thursday night – scoreboards don’t define champions. Champions are defined by their actions on and off the court.

I know for the player and the coach, really more than anyone else, not winning leaves a hole.

That is why it is great to know that both our boys and girls teams get a chance to play in the CIF State Tournament. This is a school first to have both teams in the playoffs. Their first games are…

Boys - Tuesday night here vs Alemany 7pm

Girls – Tuesday night @ Mount Miguel in San Diego 6pm

Congratulations to both teams and their coaches Howard and Nordstrom.

Now let’s focus in on God’s Word for a couple of minutes.

Let’s Pray…

Lord God, Heavenly Father

We gather around Your Word today remembering why you were born: to save Your people from their sins.

We celebrate the fact You loved us so much to send Jesus

Thank you for Your presence –

May the words of David praise you –

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable to You O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer. Amen

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It is good to speak with you again. In my new role as Executive Director I don’t do it as much, and I miss it.

Some of you may not even know who I am – or what an Executive Director does. Just know this, I have a passion for young people and I want your experience at OLu to be unsurpassed.

I want you to know Jesus is in this place. It is my desire that you will trust Him with all your heart, and all your mind, with all your soul, and you will love each other!

This week, if you did not know is National Lutheran Schools Week. Nationally there are nearly 2500 Lutheran schools w/271K students

– almost 100 high schools w/ 19k students

– OLu is the biggest LHS in the country

The theme for this year is: "Securing Each Child’s Future – For a Life of Service" and it is based on 1 Corinthians 12:5 – Many gifts – One Lord

I like how this verse is presented in “The Message”…

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

Why is it that we often don’t like our gifts, but want someone else’s? Or why do we discount some types of gifts as if they are not good enough?

According to the scripture reading each gift comes from God that helps us show who God is – we all get to participate in revealing Him to the world. Our using the gifts He has given us is service. Our service communicates a thankfulness to our great God!

I have been working in Lutheran schools for 30 years now and the last 13 have been here at OLU, in high school. The thing I enjoy so much about being here is seeing how God has gifted our students and watching them use those talents to His glory. I love seeing the artwork around the school and hearing students discover what their friends can do. Or finding out someone is a great dancer or in an activity outside of school that

The thing I hear so often from people is how talented our students are.

And I think it is fun when a student finds something that they are good at they never new before. I think that is what high school is about. It is a chance to discover and try something new that may take you out of your comfort zone.

I realize that not everyone in here has done that, but I do want to encourage you. We learn more about ourselves trying and maybe not having it work out, than not trying at all.

Over the years we have had students come to OLu thinking they would do one thing and then find out they really enjoyed something else. One of our best wrestlers in school history started out getting cut by boys basketball. His folks said do something and he found wrestling. I have seen athletes fall in love with the Nechita Center stage. I have seen students discover they could write. I have seen students think they weren’t science people and find a love for chemistry. Exposing people to wood shop has created people who are making things they nevr thought possible before.

Each month, at our student of the month recognitions, we see students who are finding they have gifts in areas they may never have thought they were good at.

Last weekend I was traveling in NM and missed the Sacred Concert. My wife and son went and came home talking about all great performances.

To close today I have asked two of our freshman students (Angie and Marissa) to share the piece they played at the concert. This is an original song that Angie wrote. Marissa has heard it and added her violin part as well. Another great example of how OLu students use the gifts God has given them.

As you listen to the song – think about the meaning of the word Hallelujah – which is really two words –

Hallelu means - a joyous praise, to boast in God, or to act madly or foolishly

Jah is short for Yahweh – The Lord

Hallelujah then means joyously Praise the Lord

-Song (Hallelujah)

Thank you both for sharing your gifts today. Great job.

Closing Prayer…

Lord,

I thank you for all the students you have gathered here over the years.

Orange Lutheran is not an ending but a beginning – a spring board into the world where we get to be a part of Your plan to let the world know who You are.

Use us each and every day Lord to get Your message out.

Broaden our platform and our influence.

Thank you for the ministry that is going on in Lutheran schools around the world.

Be with those here today who are hurting and need to feel Your presence in a special way.

Lord we love You.

In Jesus name. Amen

May God bless each of you in all you do for Him every day.

Seniors – you are dismissed!