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 Every Monday night in the Common Grounds, youth leader, Heather Lyall, and other amazing volunteers lead “Dee-Nite” (standing for Devotional Night), a Bible study for high school students. At the beginning of the night, students take a seat in front of the stage and watch a video or sing along to live music for a time of worship. Next, teens pray and then one of the students leads a devotion he or she prepared earlier. It’s so cool to get to hear from their peers about what the Lord is teaching them through scriptures and through what they are experiencing in life. After the devotion, a group leader takes charge, usually Heather Lyall, and leads a discussion on a topic relevant to high schoolers’ lives. Participants search the scriptures to see what the Bible has to say about these topics. The study ends with prayer and a time for the students to fellowship.To stir up some excitement during Dee-Night, themed studies are periodically introduced. For example, on September 14, Dee-Night held a pajama Bible study which allowed students to arrive in their pajamas! A few of the high school kids even arrived in Onesies, which is sleepwear most often worn by infants. Even while everyone was having fun in their pajamas, they still focused on the lesson at hand and learned from the study. After Bible study, some teens participated in an extreme battle of Parcour, which comes from the popular NBC show “The Office.” Many fond memories and unique experiences are sure to be made at Dee-Nite. 
Has anyone ever told you that God was there? Well, He always is. Even when you don’t know it. I’ve been discovering this more and more recently. This fall, my family moved to Carmel, California, and I was really excited as I began thinking about my new house, a free dress school, and the new weather. When we finally moved, reality began to set in I wanted to move back immediately. I missed all of my friends, family, and most of all my old church and school, St. Johns.
In the beginning of the move, I knew I was going to be a little homesick, but I never thought that it would be as bad as it got! Honestly, I was mad at God. I told my mom and she had a great perspective. “This will be a new adventure!” she said. “Maybe you will become a fashion designer like you have always wanted (there is a fashion design course at Carmel High School). Also, this may not be about you. Your dad needed this opportunity and God gave it to us.” I immediately felt better. I knew then that my dad needed this experience and God was with me and my whole family. My mom also told me that we could go to visit every three months or so.
I am still living in Carmel and miss everyone immensely, but I know that God is doing this to benefit us. I know now, and you should too, that God is always there! It’s just like the poem Footprints in the Sand, in which a man walks throughout his life with the Lord. Looking back he can see the footprints where he and the Lord walked. During the toughest times of his life he notices that there is only one set of footprints. Thinking that the Lord abandoned him in his greatest times of need, the man begins to get angry, only to hear that the Lord didn’t abandon him in his distress, but rather carried him through his hardships.
I so miss my St. John’s family and the amazing memories we created at Bible studies, Rock78 events and Thousand Pines Summer Camp, but I know that the Lord’s plan for my family is perfect and that I will always be connected to the St. John’s family. I hope that you know that God is always there for you and has a perfect plan for your life. I also hope you realize what a blessing it is to be a part of the community at St. John’s. It is a very special place filled with very special people.
Zoe Nervo is an eigth grader and former student of St. John's.
Thomas is a freshman at Lutheran High SchZoe Nervo is an eigth grader and former student of St. John's
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