When: Friday, February 24th at 7:00 PM

Where: Ohana Pier, 1321 Gause Blvd. Ste. 3 in Slidell (Click here to view map)

Tickets are $7 in advance and will be $10 at the door. Click here to purchase advance tickets online.

FMI: www.ohanapier.com or 985-288-0842

Click here to get started and to share your story!

1. Courageous – Casting Crowns
2. This Is The Stuff - Francesca Battistelli
3. Trust In Jesus – Third Day
4. I Lift My Hands – Chris Tomlin
5. Glorious Day – Casting Crowns
6. Strong Enough – Matthew West
7. Move – MercyMe
8. The Light In Me – Brandon Heath
9. You Love Me Anyway – Sidewalk Prophets
10. Blessings – Laura Story
11. I Smile – Kirk Franklin
12. Where I Belong – Building 429
13. Your Great Name – Natalie Grant
14. Changed Forever – tobyMac
15. Motion Of Mercy – Francesca Battistelli
16. Children Of God – Third Day
17. Stronger – Mandisa
18. Strong Enough To Save – Tenth Avenue North
19. Hold Me – Jamie Grace
20. My Hope Is In You – Aaron Shust
21. 7×70 – Chris August
22. Love Come To Life – Big Daddy Weave
23. At Your Name – Phil Wickham
24. Remind Me Who I Am – Jason Gray
25. Battle – Chris August
26. Slumber – Needtobreathe
27. Someone Worth Dying For – Mikeschair
28. Listen To The Sound – Building 429
29. The Way – Jeremy Camp
30. Redeemer – Sanctus Real

Congratulations to Barry Davis from Metairie, our WOW grand prize winner! He’s won 2 WOW CD libraries – one to keep, and one to share with a friend!

Why: This summer, the youth of Munholland United Methodist attended a youth conference where Kristian Stanfill led worship every day. They were so blessed by his music and message, they wanted to bring him to New Orleans so others could hear him, too!

When: Thursday, March 1st at 7:00 PM (doors at 6:30 PM)

Where: First Baptist New Orleans, 5290 Canal Blvd. in New Orleans (Click here to view map)

Tickets available online at itickets.com and at Munholland UMC – $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

FMI: 504-834-9910 or munhollandumc.org

When: Friday, March 2nd at 7:00 PM &  Saturday, March 3rd at 8:00 AM

Where: Victory Fellowship, 5708 Airline Drive in Metairie (Click here to view map)

Acquire The Fire is a 27hr life transforming event that is built to be a catalyst for your youth ministry growth and discipleship. This year’s theme is Normal’s Not Enough. We know that in the culture “Christians” have just as high as a divorce rate, are sleeping around just as much, and getting into a lot of other things as much as “non-Christians.” Christ has called us to be the light in the darkness and salt of this world. So we know that this year’s ATF is really going to challenge the youth to become that! This year’s bands that will be playing are The Afters, Flame, We are Leo, and The School of Worship. There are also going to be guest speakers and an amazing drama.

FMI: www.acquirethefire.com/neworleans or 903-324-7531

When: Thursday, March 8th – Saturday, March 10th

Where: Castine Center in Pelican Park, 63350 Pelican Drive in Mandeville (Click here to view map)

FMI: www.scrapfestproductions.com

WORSHIP FULLY: Entering the advent season means entering this season with an overwhelming passion to worship Jesus to the fullest.

SPEND LESS: Consider spending less this Christmas (maybe buying on less gifts). It sounds insignificant, but you may find you are more available to celebrate Christ during the advent season.

GIVE MORE: God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible.

LOVE ALL: When Jesus loved, He loved in ways never imagined before. Though rich, He became poor to love the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He played to the margins. By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join Him in giving resources to those who need help the most.

Merry Christmas!

To keep stress to a minimum and stay on task, start a notebook and make lists to keep yourself organized and save time. The real key is to get your planning under way ASAP. Here are more helpful holiday tips:

•KEEP A SCHEDULE: List the many things you have to work around: check office and school calendars (will your kids need holiday costumes for school performances?); note when you have to get things in the mail so they’re received on time, when you’re going to decorate the tree, events going on in the community, and service projects for the family, such as adopting a family or volunteering at the food bank.

•GET YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW: Also list who you want to give gifts to; who your kids want to give gifts to and what they want to give; things you want to make vs. things you want to buy; and your Christmas card recipients. (Most experts also agree that this is time to evaluate your budget. Be realistic. You’ll want to be able to stick to it!)

•USE YOUR WAITING TIME: Standing in line? Waiting for a doctor’s appointment or dinner to cook? Take advantage of little chunks of time to plan things, make your lists, or work on little craft projects. You can do this throughout the year but especially during the holiday season.

•GIFT LISTS: Create a list of what you have given people as gifts. That way you don’t risk giving something you’ve already given. While you’re at it, start next year’s gift list. Keep your radar up during the year and make notes, so when it comes time to shop, you have a list of things people want and will enjoy.

•DECORATIONS: Take inventory of your holiday decorations, make a list and identify what box they’re stored in. When you’re boxing them up at the end of the season, sort and store them by room, not by what they are. Then next year, you can decorate from one box at a time, one room at a time, if you don’t have a large block of time to do it all at once.

•GET WRAPPING: Set up a card table in a corner of a room and make that your gift-wrap center, so when you buy something, you can wrap it right away and avoid the last-minute crunch. Stand up rolls of wrapping paper in a wastebasket, or hang in a garment bag. If you buy 30-inch-long rolls of paper, cut them in two — one 18 inches and one 12 inches — then put them in empty aluminum foil boxes for easy dispensing. A desk or wrist tape dispenser releases strips of tape with one hand. And those spindle paper towel holders are great for storing and dispensing rolls of ribbon.

•HOLIDAY HOUSE CLEANING: Houseguests — either for dinner or for weeks at a time — are often a key part of the holidays. But this isn’t the time to clean out the basement or reorganize storage closets. Ultimately, your goal should be that you’re not embarrassed by your home and that everyone will be welcome and have a good time. Back off the big projects and just do those things that pertain to that direct goal.

•TACKLE THE BIG MEALS: Holidays are often all about the food. If you’re playing host, do a lot of stuff in advance, and realize that a lot of things can be reheated just before guests arrive. If you’re hosting a casual affair, have your guests contribute a dish or drinks. Afterward, make notes of who you invited, so you’ll remember details such as whether someone is allergic to nuts.

•EVALUATE WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN’T: Immediately after the holidays, ask yourself: — What would you have liked to do this season, but you ran out of time? — Which of those things could you plan to do now or do earlier in the year so you don’t run out of time? — Is your gift list going to change next year? — Were there certain baked goods or foods that people really enjoyed? — What decorations or ornaments would you like to add, exchange or get rid of? — What projects would you like to do next year, and when should you start them?

•THEN WORK AHEAD FOR 2012: With kids, it can be difficult to buy gifts too far in advance — they tend to want something they just saw on TV. But with other people, you can pick things up during the course of the year to save time and money. And don’t forget to take advantage of the after-holiday sales. You can get staples like holiday napkins, cards and gift wrap for a fraction of the seasonal price. Just be sure to write down what you bought and where you have stashed it, so you’re ready to go next year.

Know what 3-1-1 means. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations restrict the amount of liquids you can take on the plane. Each passenger is allowed to fill a single, quart-sized, clear plastic bag with 3-ounce (technically 3.4-ounce) containers of liquids. Exceptions are made for medications, baby food, and breast milk, but these items must be declared.

Pack carry-ons neatly. Use clear zip-top bags to help organize your clothes, pack in layers so screeners can easily see what is inside, and carefully coil electronic cords. If Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) can’t tell what is in your bag from an X-ray, your bags will likely face an extra manual search.

Pack holiday goods appropriately. If you’re flying home for the holidays, don’t wrap gifts since TSOs may have to unwrap them for inspection. Also, liquid and gel-like foods such as cranberry sauce, gravy, and salad dressing will be confiscated, so ship them ahead or put them in your checked bag. Cakes and pies are allowed, but may require additional screening.

Use the exact name on your ID. The TSA Secure Flight program is being phased in and will require that the name on your ID match your reservation exactly, as well as extra information such as date of birth and gender. Although small differences between your ID and boarding pass shouldn’t be problematic right now, consistency will help minimize your time in line.

Schedule enough wait time. Some individual airports offer real-time wait length estimates for security checkpoints on their websites. The TSA also has a Wait Time Calculator that uses checkpoint line history to offer estimated wait times, although it was under construction at press time. Currently, there are a few smartphone apps that can provide you with the TSA’s historic averages, including TripCase (Blackberry, iPhone, and Windows Mobile) and TSAwait (iPhone), although the information may not be up-to-date. Keep in mind these are only approximate times for security lanes, not for check-in lines.

Dress for success. Before you head to the airport, empty your pockets of loose change, wear minimal jewelry, and avoid wearing a belt so you have fewer items to remove for the metal detector. Wear shoes that are easy to slip off and on. And if your travels include someplace cold, try to wear one jacket you can remove easily.

Use a checkpoint-friendly laptop case. Computers don’t need to be removed from TSA-approved bags, saving you time. Acceptable cases must meet TSA standards, which require a laptop-only section that lies flat on the conveyor belt; has no pockets; and has no metal. If your bag is not TSA approved, store your computer in an easily accessible pocket so you can quickly place it on the belt.

Use line time efficiently. Most likely, no matter when you get to the airport you will have to stand in a security line for some time. While you’re waiting, take off your coat and watch, put your phone and loose change in your carry-on, and have your 3-1-1 bag out and ready. This way when you reach the front of the line you can quickly put your items in the bin.

Be polite. Agitated or argumentative passengers are more likely to seem suspicious and may require more screening.

Choose your line carefully. Many airports now offer three lines for travelers: Expert, Casual, and Family. If you’re traveling with little ones or have liquids that must be declared, choosing the latter will help minimize stress. If you’ve followed all the above suggestions, feel free to choose the Expert lane!