Sept 2011 - Banquet

20th Annual YFC Fundraising Banquet

Spoon River College’s Community Outreach Center

November 11, 2011

Believe it or not, our 20th Annual Banquet is only 8 weeks away. We are once again hosting it at the new Spoon River College Community Outreach Center on East Jackson in Macomb.

New this year is the option of either coming to the Luncheon (12:00-1:15pm) or the Dinner (6:30-8:15pm)

Jeff Ringenberg (former YFC-Western IL staff member) will be our speaker. We also have some

fabulous music lined up as well.

Sept 2011- Here We Go!!!

I just LOVE September – sure, my calendar goes crazy, but with such great things! To help you share in our excitement, we decided to tell you with pictures.

We ended summer with a bash! Thirteen kids at Fun City as a goodbye-fun for our graduated seniors Becky Scott, Luke Buren and Chelsea Townsend. Girls Team poses before their round of Laser Tag: NaClintriss Parker, Tammy Carson, Kassi Groff, Becky Scott, Alexis Aurelio and Laurie Daniel. Team Two “patiently” (not really) waits their turn: Michael Herron, Brandon Rossio, Luke Buren, Justin Derry, Chelsea Townsend and Taryn Surprenant.

The largest blessing of the year came from Scott Collins and STC Investments. I asked Scott if he could do “something” to improve our porch… instead he made it something! The porch is now a deck 3 times the original size with seating and stability. Scott and his crew worked their wonders in time for the first pizza lunch!

YFC Pizza Lunch returns! Free Pizza Lunch, the first pizza lunch of the year, hosted 125 kids (translates into 35 pizzas!). The first $2.00 Pizza Lunch enjoyed 75 kids!

At YFC Free pizza lunch, left to right: backrow: newcomer Corey Maisch, team manager Alexis Aurelio, new volunteer Tammy Carson, front row: Student Vice President, Brandon Rossio and Student President, Justin Derry sport an unplanned outfit match.

Campus Life Kids (grades 6-8) continued to meet throughout the summer. We had a splash with water games and other goofy activities. Three students “Upgraded” (promoted) – Kassi Groff, Michael Herron and NaClintris Parker moved from this group to the senior high.

The Senior High Kids have kicked off a going-deeper program, we’ve named iConnect, with our first lesson series focusing on active prayers. Both Senior High and Junior High (gr 6-8) participated in a prayer walk/drive.

We encourage you to prayer drive Macomb:

• Macomb High School Students, staff, knowledge & wisdom James 1:4-6
• Macomb Armory For all who willingly serve John 15:12-14
• Bridgeway Fearfully & Wonderfully Made Psalm 139:14
• Loaves & Fishes For the poor Matt 5:3
• McDonough County Courthouse Justice for all (worldwide) Psalm 140 11-12
• Police or Sheriff’s dept Submit to authority; protection for them Romans 13: 1, 5-7
• MDH For the sick James 5:14-15
• YFC For Christians everywhere 1 Peter 4: 12-14

(you can email Lauren for more details at Laurensurp@yahoo.com)

Save the date: See You At The Pole Weds Sept 28^th 7:30am (it is not a late-start Weds)

Sept 2011 -Thank you STC Investments & Scott Collins!

Deck Before, then After!!

Now the deck in use!

Sept 2011 - Macomb Schedule

Sept 2011 - How You Can Help

Sept 2011 - Bushnell Beat

This past month has meant getting geared up for another school year of ministering to teens. One thing that helps keep Youth for Christ staff sharp is an annual staff conference in Angola, IN. This years theme was surrender. It's good to be reminded of the need to daily surrender to the Lord. I know that when I have done this, the day seems to be more focused on others and more

productive spiritually. One of my often quoted verses from scripture come from Prov. 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He shall direct your paths.” My Sunday school teachers and church choir directors had great influence in my memorization of this scripture.

One day last month, a mother came up to me and said,“Thank you for the talks you had with my son. He really appreciated the time you took to spend with him.” The neat thing is that he has been out of high school for a couple of years, and he still remembers. Please pray for this young man, because I do not know for sure if he has trusted Christ as his personal savior. I do know the seeds have been planted. This kind of encouragement is part of what keeps me going.

In addition to our Open House, August 25 meant a chance to be in Bushnell's Fall Festival Parade with a YFC float. This year our theme is “All In.” Several teens and I made posters, got a hay rack, borrowed a nice tractor, scavenged a couple of old love seats, threw on some hay bales, and bought lots of candy. We then put the posters around the hay rack and advertised our upcoming Campus Life Kick-off's. My daughter, Abby, also rode her horse, advertising our JH Campus Life program. What an afternoon! Then it was on to the Presbyterian Church “Ice Cream Social” and a night at the festival. All for the sake of reaching out to teens so that they may have the opportunity to know the Savior.

I couldn't do it without the many faithful volunteer leaders that love teens. Pray for us as we kick-off the school year and for the teens that come. Pray that they might get a glimpse of our wonderful savior and be drawn to Him.

On a family note, our son Andrew turned 14 September 6th. We celebrated his birthday with my youngest brother, Tyler, at my Aunt Ann and Uncle John's home on Labor Day, with over 50 people attending. We have great fun as a family and those connected to us.

Praise the Lord for family!