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Showing posts from 2008

RSS added to Facebook

I just added an RSS link to my blog. Every new blog post should show up on my FaceBook page. We shall see.

Keyboards Don't Drink Coffee

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Kirsten decided to see if my new keyboard likes coffee. She never uses my computer but tonight she decided to use it and share her coffee with my keyboard. How nice of her. One of the kids came running saying mom spilt coffee on your keyboard. Needless to say daddy was not very happy. I spent about an hour dismantling it and drying every component. It still works fine.

The Master Blaster

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I just won this blaster on Ebay. It is compatible with the youth groups new Pheonix LazerTag system. I can also host special matches with this Blaster.

Nerf Vulcan Burn Up Your Toy MOD!

Snnooooww

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Kya and I were outside for well over an hour shoveling out of the blizzard. We got over 10 inches of snow last night.

The Snow is Coming!

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I just read that we are expecting 6-10 inches of snow tonight. I guess that means we will have a white Christmas this year. I can't wait to build some snowmen with the kids.

Lazer Tag

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I remember Lazertag from the 80's it was so slick it worked awesome and it was really expensive. I remember playing at a rich friends house. Thanks Robert! I've tried several different laser tag games but they all break really fast and they are so complicated. Until now. Say hello to The Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX. This Lazer Tag game is made by the same manufacturers of the old lazer tag I remember. The youth group will get to test them out in the next few days. Should be fun.

The Wind is not my Friend

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We had some wind the other night and our storm door on the side of the house decided to become a sail. The door caught the wind and torn all the hardware apart. I had to pick up some parts and fix the door today. Everything went quite smoothly. The door now works perfectly.

Business card samples for my dad.

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Just click on each image to see a bigger sample.

For Helix Youth

Please watch this video about our new laser tag equiptment.

Our Success

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Many of you know I've struggled with my weight and health for several years now. I was pretty sure nothing was going to change. Then one day on my daughters preschool door was a sign for the First place 4 Health faith based weight loss program. I was compelled to sign up and give it a try (like most diets I've been on). Kirsten my wife decided she wanted to join as well. I was really excited to see what the Lord had in store for us on this journey. Kirsten and I have each lost more than 60 lbs each. She is looking great. I know I look better and feel better. I can't wait to see what I look like in another year. This program has helped us refocus our eating habits. We have now put an emphasis on God being first when it comes to what we eat. I believe Kirsten and I always had an emphasis of God being first in most of our life but the food part was mine. I never really gave what I ate or how much I ate a lot of thought. Now I get to meet with a wonderful group of loving people

Merry Christmas ( to me ! )

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Kirsten and I were talking about what we wanted to get each other for Christmas. We received a few gift cards and reserved some of the money so we each could get a gift for one another. We haven't done that in several years. We agreed $20 was the limit and She found this cool tea cup and infuser. She ordered some sampler teas as well. I'm really excited to give it a try on Christmas morning. Can't wait. If your still wondering what to get me for Christmas check out these two tea websites. I love to try any of the loose teas they offer. Ocean of Tea and Adagio Tea

We're Back !

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Nashville was Seriously Ridiculous. Kirsten and I had an amazing time recharging our ministry batteries. We jump right back into youth ministry tonight with our annual Giving Thanks Dinner . After the potluck dinner with the kids we are off to Iowa for Thanksgiving. Should be fun.

Seriously Ridiculous NYWC

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Today is our first day of the conference that included worship. We had some workshop hours yesterday and this morning. The workshops were ok. Worship was phenomenal. I’m seldom moved to emotions as I was these last few hours. It was as if God just said “It’s ok Kevin, Chillax”. I was completely flooded with the presence of God amongst and within us. It’s hard to describe but it was like slowly placing your hand in cold water experiencing the sensation as your hand enters the water. My guard, that is always up is aloud to fall to the floor and I become truly vulnerable with my peers (other youth workers). I completely trust them and know they “feel my pain”. This year’s topic is “Seriously Ridiculous”. Kirsten and I saw signs that mentioned this theme and we were quite curious. This “Seriously Ridiculous” theme is like saying Crazy, Over the top, Awesome. God’s love for us is Seriously Ridiculous. The main thing we (youth workers) share in common is our love for youth. It’s Seriously Ri

Things are looking up

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Clear skies today. Gotta love that. I'm also looking forward to leaving for Nashville tomorrow.

Tired

I definitely need a break from ministry. Not long, just long enough to get recharged. I'm hoping the NYWC will help.

The Green Screen is coming.

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What is a green screen? A green screen is a screen with a true green color used in video and photography to place the subject anywhere. I will be creating backgrounds in adobe photoshop and placing them on the green surface in the video. This will come in handy as we film different podcast spots and video commercials for the church. This Friday we hope to film some csi intro spoofs using the students in the youth ministry. We can film everything from one location then add the scenes in later using the computer. Some of the shots will be in Miami, NY, and Las Vagas. Should be fun.

Helix Podcast 002 is up!

Helix Podcast 002 from Kevin Eckert on Vimeo .

Today!

Today, I'm looking forward to our new president in office. YES WE DID! Today, I'm looking forward to Helix this evening. DODGEBALL Today, I'm looking forward to working out on the elliptical and lifting weights. Today, I'm looking forward to getting lights for the new green screen. Today, I'm looking forward to hanging with the youth. Today, I'm looking forward to brain storming ideas for the CSI Lock-in. Today, I'm looking forward to tomorrow and what God has in store for me.

CSI Registration Form

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Just click the image to load the PDF version of the registration form. You will need to bring One bag of Candy, Dark Powder Makeup and a large makeup brush. Borrow these or pick some up at the dollar tree. These will be used for a finger printing game.

Nashville NYWC

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It's coming in just 4 short weeks. I'll be at the national youth workers convention. I'm very excited about daily worship, with 4000 other youth workers. Adults that get me and understand exactly what I go through and experience. I love it. It's such a rejuvenating time for me. It helps me refocus my ministry every year.

Car Trouble $$$$

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The car needed some repairs. We had to borrow enough cash to get it done. We also had to raid the Christmas money. Oh well, at least the kids will get a safe ride this winter. What more can you ask for. Specs: Bad front wheel bearing and thrashed brakes. Had to replace the rotors and pads. The car needs more work but this should tide us over for the winter.

Yes We Can

I love this video.

What am I up to, Today?

Well, I uploaded the sermon from yesterday. Check it out below. I also did some research on our upcoming CSI lock-in, Nov. 7th 9am-5pm. I reviewed my job description for the Staff Relations committee and I fired off some e-mails. I also managed to talk with a student today. I'll probably begin working on the visual media for worship this week. We have our annual Totenfest service coming up and I created some custom graphics for that this morning as well.

Winter Retreat 2009

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We have had alot of talk about what we will be doing and where we will be going. We will be spending three days at the Clocktower in Rockford. We will have access to the water park. We will also be going to Laser Quest , Showplace 16 and Ice Skating .

CSI Lock-in Revived!

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We are planning a CSI lock-in for Friday November 7th from 9am-5pm. This will be an all day lock-in. The entire group will work together to solve a "CRIME"! Should be fun.

Day Off!

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Today is my day off. I was woken by two kids fighting and one of them said she had to puke. Then my oldest girl decided she wanted to stay home too. I'm hoping they feel better before the bus comes. I never got to stay home because I felt "bad". I had to be puking or something. I'm hoping to have a quite day at home. Maybe.

Amazing Race Lock-in

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Tomorrow we will be running our second annual Amazing Race. It's been a lot of work but we are ready for a great day.

Knight Rider is AWESOME!!!!!

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If you haven't seen the new knight rider you need to click on the image above and watch the new episode. They are releasing the new episodes one week early online. I watched the new episode today and I had goose bumps for the first 15 minutes. I was blown away. I'm loving this new show. It is by far my favorite TV series of all time. If you have no idea what the show is like, Imagine a mash up of Transformers and 007. Gadgets, Cars, Girls and action. AWESOME! Only dislike was the subway scene. Looked fake, but forgivable.

New Sermon Format

Escaping Oppression/Pursuing Freedom from Kevin Eckert on Vimeo .

Sunday School a HUGE hit!

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This week we had lots of kids in our Sunday School classes. I'm happy to see everyone hanging out with us and learning about God. My class made art pieces of the Garden of Eden. We had a great time.

New Blog Look

So give me your honest opinion, Do you like the new post look?

Kick Me

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In school as a child I remember kids snickering at me and laughing at me. Some brave kids would walk up and kick me for no reason. After awhile I figured out something was up. I pulled my shirt and saw a sign that said kick me. Those school days are long gone but somehow I still feel like life puts a kick me sign on my back. This week church was fantastic but other areas of my like keep kicking me. I wish it was just a simple piece of paper I could remove from my back. Things were much simpler back then. I'm very disappointed and discouraged with a situation at home. My wife and I could use your prayers.

October Youth Calendar

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Here it is. The most requested calendar yet!

New Wallpaper

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This is the a background I designed for my computer repair work. If you ever have me repair your computer, when you get it back you will see this as your desktop background.

Labor Day Fun

I went in to the church today and spent several hours painting and designing art for the 7th & 8th grade room as well as the youth lounge. I'm working on some Andy Warhol style art for the walls.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

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I downloaded this demo from the PS3 the other night and I have to say, This game rocks! I love running thru the hallway tossing storm troopers out of my way. I will definitely be reviewing this game after it releases in a few weeks.

Equal Exchange

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Many of you know that the Helix Youth Ministry just added Equal Exchange coffee, tea and chocolate to our year long fundraiser. I love brewing coffee for our congregation to sample and this year we have taken that one step further. We are now providing the coffee for our fellowship time ( Coffee Hour). It's our way of giving back to those who have supported our youth ministry and the farmers who grow the coffee bean crop. Doing the right thing has never tasted so good. You're in for a real treat if you usually drink Folgers or one of the other main coffee varieties. The coffee we will be donating is shade grown (to protect the rain forests) and it is Organic (no pesticides). It is also Fairly Traded.

Youth Ministry Salary

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Kirsten admitted that she was worrying about bills again. We live a very blessed life but money is always super tight. When I say super tight I mean we only have $25 for the next two weeks till payday. This really doesn't bug me much because I know God will provide what we need. Kirsten (The Accountant) worries constantly. She occasionally shares that she wished we had a savings account (with $ in it). Several things I have to share with other candidates for Youth Ministry. Be OK with being fiscally challenged (POOR!). Tell your spouses that you will be poor (money wise). Make sure your spouse can handle that harsh reality. Don't be afraid of LINK cards (food stamps), you will be using them. Be OK with government health care, You can't afford your own policy. Pray that your spouse gets a great job, if she is the CEO of the house (House Wife, Mom) she does the most important job for free. If only more parents stayed home to raise their children. Have lots of Kids, Family is

Camping

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Our camping trip was pretty good. I'm not a camper so pretty good from me is a great compliment. Enough said!

September Calendar

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As you can see we are scheduled to have an all day lock-in on September 27th. It will be an all new Amazing Race. Kirsten and I have begun the process of planning this awesome event. I can't wait. If you would like to print this calendar just click on the image and the full version will load.

Uncharted Review

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I've been excited to try this video game for the last couple of months. After I played MGS4 I heard about this game and I just needed to schedule the time to play it. I picked it up this week and thoroughly enjoyed the first 17 levels of the game. Then things got weird. The Zombies were released. I was on the run from them and they were quite nasty. I played for about 15 minutes with the zombies slaughtering me and then I shut the game off. I know I could have beaten them but I wasn't even interested. The zombies ruined this awesome game for me. I watched the final cut scenes online. The story ending was weak. If you don't mind battling monsters pick this one up. I really enjoyed the tactical shooter parts of the game and the hand to hand combat was fun as well. Puzzles were easy. I'm a sniper guy so getting to use a sniper rifle half way thru was a real treat. Give this one a try, its definately worth the price of a rental.

Higher Grounds is Back !!!!

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After much prayer and discussion by our Church Council, they have given me the go ahead to continue this ministry with our youth. I'm delighted to continue this mentoring time with our youth at Higher Grounds. This is answered prayer. Join us there this Saturday from 9am-11am.

The Gathering

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We will be meeting at Higher Grounds this Saturday August 2nd. Invite a friend!

The Lock-in was EPIC !

Well, Maybe not Epic but it was fun and everyone managed to stay safe and behave themselves. Our student leaders did a great job and were a huge help. Thank you.

EPIC Surfin'

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This weekend is going to begin a very long week for Kirsten and I. I'm looking forward to the week as much as the Friday that follows. Tonight we will have 25 to 30 kids for an overnighter. I'm hoping the kids have a great time tonight. We will also be decorating the church for VBS which starts Sunday night. I've assembled a simple website that will lead to different photo galleries, one for each night of vbs. Check it our here: www.stjohnuccfreeport.org/VBS

August Calendar

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Higher Grounds Changes

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We have been meeting at Higher Grounds for two years now and our mentoring group is ready to enter "The Gathering". This new group will find itself moving around town each Saturday morning. Please consider joining us.

New Wine Tasting Blog

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Kirsten and I started a new blog together. We will be reviewing two new wines each week. If your a wine drinker take a look and comment. Also submit a comment about different wines you think we should try. The blog is called Warped Palate .

First Goal

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Kirsten told me the other night that I was only five pounds from my weightloss stretch goal . I have until next tuesday to lose the five pounds. I have to say, I'm on a mission. I've worked out everyday this week so far and plan to keep it up. I love my elliptical.

Rockband (Wii)

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After much hesitation and contemplation I ordered Rock band for the Wii. My student leaders requested that we purchase the new game. After hearing them rave about how fun it was, I decided to give it a try. Last night at Helix we hooked it up and had and hour long jam session. Let me tell you as an adult it is really fun. As a kid at heart I absolutely love this thing.

Pacific Garden Mission

We took six students to Chicago today to spend some time at Pacific Garden Mission. It was a great experience and we saw how God is revealed through the love and kindness of many Christians , through PGM. www.pgm.org

It is Finished!

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I finished MGS4 tonight. It is an awesome game. I definitely recommend it. I really enjoyed the last battle between Snake and Liquid. It brought me back to hours of Tekken and Street Fighter. I will say that you might want to start the game in Liquid easy mode if your not a regular gamer. I got about half way through and had to start over in a lower difficulty setting. After that the game was a blast. The cut scenes (film) were good but there were a lot of them that tell a wonderful story. I didn't feel like I was board at all while I watched them. I know many people are mentioning how long they are on the web but I didn't feel like it took away from the game. I enjoyed it. I'll give it five out of five stars.

Aero Group

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So I wrote to Aero and told them our connection was hiddious and they told me we were set to a 512 kb/s cap. They opened up the connect to 1.5 mb. Thanks Aero. Now I can preview youtube video's without waiting for them to load. Now we can Stream Video. Sweet!!

Laughing Octopus

Well I tried for two and a half hours to defeat this bad girl. I gave up and restarted the game in Liquid Easy mode. I had it in snake normal and I'm not an avid gamer. I should do better this time.

Rental

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I rented MGS4. I've played it for a few hours today and it is by far the best video graphics I've ever seen. I'm enjoying the game play. It's difficult for a gaming novice like me to remember all the buttons and how they work but I'm coming along. I just left the Rat Patrol. For those of you who are playing too.