Explantion of workout: Start with a brief warm-up, followed by a variety of fun and entertaining group activites that parent and child can participate in together. This class will not take place in the weight room.

For more information, or to join this group, please post a comment.

Explantion of workout: Start with a brief warm-up, followed by a variety of fun and entertaining group activites that parent and child can participate in together. This class will not take place in the weight room.

For more information, or to join this group, please post a comment.

Explantion of workout: This is a fact paced workout to accomplish as much as possible in a very short time. After a quick stretch, the group will spend 5 minutes on 3 different cardio machines, followed by a 5 minute cool down.

For more information, or to join this group, please post a comment.

What should be done different?

What should we NOT change?

Tell us what you think.

I am often amazed at how the general on-goings of life parallel our relationship with God. Psalm 19:1 states “the heavens declare the glory of God” as if all of creation is centered around communion with the Creator.

Jesus taught with parables. He took a simple ordinary event, and used it as an illustration regarding our faith. Our understanding is dependent upon our frame of reference. When Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11), we can relate because we put ourselves in the shoes of the characters. We have all been through similar situations and know how they must have felt. Parables are an exceptional teaching tool because they take the abstract (faith, God, Heaven) and put it in a context we can understand, i.e. our life.

Have you ever taken a moment to think about how often our lives mirror our faith? Think about the relationships you have. How dependent are they on good communication? Very much, I would assume. How does that relate to prayer? Think about the food you eat. Is your health dependent upon what you put in your body? How are you feeding your faith? It seems as though everything in our life is somewhat symbolic of our relationship with God, as if God is the center, primary, or the most important.

I was in the gym this morning, going through my routine and began thinking about transformation - the idea that a true follower of Christ should be transformed by their beliefs. I realized this idea is exactly like an exercise routine. The human body is a remarkably adaptive machine. Any fitness expert will tell you 2 things: 1. mix things up, and 2. intensity matters not duration. Why? Because the body adapts. By varying the type and intensity, you prevent your body from “becoming comfortable” and you will continue to make improvement. We plateau when our bodies adapt, and settle into a nice comfortable routine. At this point, the process of transformation comes to a screeching halt.
For transformation to continue, we must be challenged.

What is the point of exercise? Weight loss, endurance, flexibility, general health? Regardless of the goal, we will plateau if not challenged.
How is your faith? Are you continuing to be transformed or have you gotten comfortable in your routines? How can you start the process of transformation? What areas do you struggle with?

Transformation is a process, not a goal. Be it physical or spiritual, there is always room for improvement. We are made in the imagine of God, for God’s purpose. I pray that you seek out ways to grow in your faith and recognize that our lives are precious gifts. Gifts that, at the core, cry out for God and desire nothing more than to glorify the Creator.

Chris Jones
Director of Sports and Recreation
Playing with a Purpose

For the past year I have been building a patio in my backyard. This project started as a small fence for our new puppy, grew into a pergola, and in the next few days I hope to complete the deck of our new patio. The funny part is that this all started so the dog could have his own shaded area. Now he spends most of his day on the couch and will only go outside if it is 65 degrees with a cool breeze! Safe to say, he won’t use it much but hopefully my wife and I will. During this process I have found myself obsessing over it. Unfinished projects irritate me so the year-long time-frame in itself has been difficult enough. And now that it rains every other day I can't get my schedule and the weather to mesh. I have obsessed over its completion and at times gotten very frustrated. Countless times during its construction I have asked myself, "Is this really important?" Initially my thoughts were towards my attitude, “Is this worth getting upset about?” But over time they have grown into a deeper question of “Is this worth spending my time and money on?” We can argue at length about increases in home values, entertainment opportunities, etc. But instead let’s remove my patio example and ask a much larger question. Are you spending your resources on the things that really matter? And what really does matter? Is it a car? A house? A relationship?

My deepest frustration lies within the realization that I am obsessing about worthless pursuits that carry no kingdom value. What if I put the same time and back-breaking energy into a relationship? Or dedicated it to the glory of God?

Colossians 3:1-2 reads: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

I also like Matthew 6:19-20, which reads, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal”

The cold reality is that those trinkets which we so passionately pursue today will be dust tomorrow. So my question remains. What really matters? How do we "store up treasures in Heaven?" In looking at the life of Christ in its complete context, I can immediately learn two things. 1) Jesus came to serve, and 2) It's all about God. This idea is summed up perfectly in Luke 27 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."

I have heard it said God does not mind us having things, only when things have us. I honestly don’t believe that when I stand in judgment, God will point to my patio with disapproval. But if I choose to spend this gift called life shopping and building sand castles, then I might have something to answer for. Don’t be confused or worried about where to start. Just reach out to a fellow human being and love them as Christ loves you.

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries
Playing with a Purpose

Oddly enough my favorite form of exercise is running. I say oddly because running was so often a form of punishment in the sports I grew up playing. However, I have found it to be the fastest way to get my heart rate up, get a good sweat, and enjoy the outside air. For a long time running was a task to marked off, a means to an end. But I have come to realize that running is therapeutic in multiple ways, both good and bad.

Running is great for the heart, but bad for the knees. It is good for the lungs, but torture on my lower back. Running facilitates weight loss, but also skinned knees! This two-sided effect can be felt beyond the physical body. I run to find time for myself. It is here that I can focus on one task and nothing more. There are not emails to be answered or chores to be done. The pressures of life seem so distant when your priority is the next breath. It is so often in running that I find peace. If there are physical side effects, then there are emotional side effects. Often the run around the block is less practical and more metaphorical, meaning that I am actually attempting to run away from something. Maybe if I run far enough or fast enough, I will somehow leave all my worries and troubles behind. I have thought if I run a little further, a little longer, or a little faster, that life won't be
able to find me.

The Bible may be thousands of years old, but it still speaks to the human condition. It is full of stories where people run to escape their problems and hide from the pressures of life. We get only a few pages into the story and Adam is already hiding his nakedness.

There have been many times in my life when I have run from God. I have gone out on my own and muddled through life only to realize how much better off I was with God. But what does that mean? I've heard people say that all my life and never really understood what that meant. How do we let God take control? This can be a very confusing statement. I've come to realize it's about being connected. The times in my life when I have felt most distant from God are the times when I did not pray, did not read the Bible, and did not worship. When you don't seek to understand the Creator, you won't find him.
I want to be very clear here. So often the canned answer to all of life's problems is "read your Bible more, pray more, or just DO more." Understand that God loves you just as you are today, not once you have memorized the New Testament. Being connected is not a matter of DOING, it's a matter of SEEKING. Let me continue the running analogy. You and I will never forget how to run. But there is a difference between running daily, and running once a month. I can sit on my couch and understand why running is important and the mechanics of how to do it. But if I never engage in the activity, I will never see the benefits. The same can be said of God. I can understand WHY God is important, and the love that exists. But I will never experience the fullness of life God desires as long as I stay on the couch.

I wish I could tell you that I will never run from God again, that I will face all of my problems. But the truth is, I will run. I will hide. But you can't run from God and for that I am thankful. It is in these brief moments of clarity that I laugh in my own insecurity, and praise God for his patience. I will run, but God will be still be there when I return.

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries
Playing with a Purpose

Being a successful athlete requires more than just physical talent. It requires the ability to see beyond your next step, "sense" where the other players are, and anticipate what is going to happen next. Being a great athlete requires vision.

I started thinking about this idea of vision and realized it is a skill that is both necessary and dangerous. The more I explored vision, the more I was led to the natural conclusions of preparing, setting goals, and looking ahead. In fact, if you read last month's Rec Connection, you will find that I encouraged you to set goals for the upcoming year. The more I thought, the more Exodus chapter 16 returned to me. In the story, God has led the Israelites out of Egypt and they are wandering in the desert. God provides for their daily needs, but nothing more. God is teaching them to rely on him everyday, and to not worry about tomorrow. Jesus teaches this lesson again in Matthew 6:25-34 when he teaches us that God will provide, and to not worry about our lives.

But life has taught us that a successful human being sets goals and prepares for tomorrow. So the question becomes, how do we balance this life-proven concept with the wisdom of the Bible? Especially when they seem to so contradictory

The Bible is full of stories where people "prepare." Countless prophets and heroes warn of the future and the perils of not preparing. Joseph prepares the country for the coming famine (Genesis 41), Moses builds an ark for the coming flood (Genesis 6), and Jesus himself teaches the importance of investing and saving for tomorrow (Matthew 25: 14-30).

Clearly we have a conflict. On one hand we learn the importance of relying on God, and on the other we learn the importance of preparing. So which is it? Trust in God or take matters into our own hands?

We don't have the time or the space to examine every instance mentioned above but we can draw out two general similarities. The first is that in each story, the "preparing" is ordained by God. God basically says, "get busy 'cause trouble's comin." So in preparing we are obedient to God. Now the second point, illustrated by the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14-30), is the initiative of the servants. This parable has multiple lessons available but I want to focus on this one. The successful servants took initiative and multiplied what God had entrusted them with. They were pro-active, took matters into their own hands, and used the "talents" the Master gave them.

Now what about tomorrow? In Matthew 6: 25-34 Jesus teaches us to not "worry about our lives." What if we focus on this idea of worry? Worry does two things. It cripples action and signals a lack of faith. Jesus wants the reader to understand that God cares for you the human being far more than he cares for his other creations. I think the point of this story is more about how much God loves you, than not being concerned for tomorrow. Worry can be crippling. Worry is not pro-active, it is sedentary and wastes resources. I believe the parable of the talents (Matthew 6: 25-34) teaches this same lesson, only more straightforward. The master gives "talents" to his servants who then either multiply them, or bury them. The servant who buried, was so worried about losing his talent, he wasted it. The servants who put thier resources to work were rewarded.

Tomorrow is important, but not at the expense of today. If we spend all our time worrying about tomorrow, we sacrifice the fullness of life God has in store for us today. Being pro-active is a good thing, just make sure you are doing it for the glory of God, and not yourself.

During my high school football career I had no vision. I "just hit the guy in front of me" and that was good enough be a totally average starter. I had no vision on the field or off. I could not see how a little effort today would pay dividends tomorrow. I have since learned that real vision is the ability to see tomorrow, and the ability to see the steps necessary today to get there.

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries
Playing with a Purpose

The January article is always the hardest for me to write. Everywhere you turn is a pep-talk for the new year. Some of this info is very good, some is not, and some gets old. At a certain point, I reach my max and tune out. That being said, I enjoy the thought that some people actually read this, and the last thing I want is for you to tune out. So making the January article both relevant and engaging can be difficult...let me know how I do.

As I stated before, advice is all over, especially in January. It's as if every self-help book has been released simultaneously! How to save money, lose weight, or fix a relationship. We are inundated with advice. Life goes on and this too shall pass. Usually the end of January closes the self help books, and we return to our regular schedule. If you're like me, you relish the return to normalcy. Since October we have been decorating, baking, eating, shopping, and planning. Some people call it the post holiday let-down. I just call it freedom!

The return to routine after all the cleaning and undecorating is a welcome release. From now until June is the most routine schedule I have all year...and the most complacent. The start of the New Year begins with high hopes and expectations. By February the new is gone, the expectations have been lowered, and we (me anyway) have relaxed into a cherished routine. There I sit until summer forces a change. I don't think I'm lazy, I'm just tired. The race of the holidays can be so overwhelming that who wants to step straight onto the treadmill?
The problem becomes, how do we harness the excitement of the New Year, and balance it with some practical and reasonable expectations? What drives us to push through and start yet another race? Whatever motivates you is, well, up to you. For me it's the fear of regret. I believe that life is precious. That we should enjoy the journey rather than fear it, and that regret is a choice made in our daily lives. I ask, "What do you want out of life, and what must you do today to make this happen?"

Routine is nice, but it is also dangerous. One day becomes two, two days become a week, weeks become months. You get the idea.

I don't know what your resolution is, but I pray you have one. Our lives are a gift from God, so let's enjoy them and cherish them. Use the energy of January to do something you have always wanted to do, and do it to the glory of God.

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries

The CLC will be closed December 24 - January 1.

Please refer to the Daily Calendar found at www.cumcsports.com for complete details on Open Gym. Upward Basketball and Cheerleading has begun and requires the majority of the court time.

You are invited to attend an Upward Basketball game and witness first hand the excitment and joy created. Games begin on the hour from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Concessions are available so come for lunch and a basketball game.

Men's Basketball will begin registering in late February. Start recruiting your team and getting in shape now!

One of the people on staff here recently remarked that we do not have problems, only inconveniences. I cannot speak of you or your situation, but this holds very true for my life. The disposal's refusal to work and the static sound on my TV are only minor inconveniences in a life that is ultimately smooth sailing. This time of year our thoughts naturally turn to giving thanks and taking stock of our life. These thoughts continually lead me to the question of why? Why is my life what it is? What have I done to warrant this? Is it the results of generations of hard work paying dividends today? Have my grandparents' and parents sacrifices paved the way for my cushy life? Or have I been handpicked by God for a greater purpose? And how will that manifest itself? I find myself asking these questions over and over, leading only to more questions and doubt.

It's an odd question isn't it? "Why is my life what it is?" I'm fearful to even recognize it in my conscious mind let alone put it in print! Fearful that God will turn off the fountain and leave me to a Job-esque fate, which I know I cannot handle! Never being smart enough to shy away from the tough questions, I ask "Why?"

The theological questions this brings forth are limitless and even more troubling. Why has God blessed me and not others? Why does God allow the dishonest to prosper, and the virtuous to suffer? Why is there so much inbalance? The final issue for me is always, "to whom much is given, much is expected." I then feel the expectation that somehow God is counting on me to live up to this blessing he has bestowed. If you don't know, I have a self diagnosed Superman complex in which I try to be all things to all people. Not because of my own abilities, but because I feel God expects this of me...pretty weighty stuff I know. So why am I sharing this with you? Why am I airing my dirty laundry? Maybe because on some level, at some point, you can relate, and together we can learn that God loves us as we are today. Not some future version of ourselves when we do and say all the right things.

The weight of potential and expectation can often be unbearable for those ill equipped to handle it. I have found that the best way to take control of this situation is to let go. Am I supposed to DO something? SAY something? or BE something? I don't know. Chasing this answer will only result in missing the fullness of life. I have chased this answer and realized that there is power in letting go and that struggling against the blessing is possibly the greatest sin of all. If God has chosen to grant me this gift, then maybe I should do 2 things. Enjoy it, and share it. So that is my mission today. I don't have the answers, and I don't know why I ended up here and not in a war torn, poverty stricken country. But I am here. The dominos of fate have continued to fall one after the other, leading me along, what I feel like, is a very specific path. I don't know where this path leads or what's going to happen. Most days I question it, but sometimes I am content to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Regardless of what I have done, God has continued to bless me and take care of me. All I can do is return the favor. Which means not fighting it, and passing the blessing to whomever I meet. As you take stock of your year and think about what you have to be thankful for, remember the one whom we are thankful for and where your blessings come from.

It's a little early for a resolution, but mine is to passionately thank God for for my life, and beg for ways to share it with others.

Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries

Kidz Night Out: November 17th
Upward registration ends: November 20th
Closed for Turkey Dinner: November 12th
Closed for Thanksgiving: November 24th and 25th
Upward Evaluations: (each basketball player must attend an eval)
November 16th at 7:00pm
November 18th at 10:00am
November 20th at 7:00pm