Aug12-Welcome Tamara!

The YFC Board is pleased to announce the addition of Tamara Parker to our growing list of trustees.

Tamara Parker is the Executive Director of the Macomb Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Tamara graduated from Western Illinois University.

She and her husband Morris have been married for five years. They have a handsome little boy named Elijah.

Tamara accepted Jesus Christ into her life when she was thirteen years old at vacation bible school.  She is a member of Shepherd’s Gate Foursquare Church where she is actively involved in the ministry as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator, volunteer in the nursery, janitor, sings on the praise team, and is a member of the prayer team.

Tamara has a great passion for youth, and is excited to join the Youth for Christ board.

Aug12-Banquet reminder

Please note that this year’s banquet will be held on:

THURSDAY

November 15th

Noon and 6 pm

options

Spoon River’s

Community

Outreach Center

2500 E Jackson

Macomb, IL

Interested in helping?

Contact the office

to join the planning

committee!!

Aug12-Congrats Todd!

It is with great pleasure that Youth for Christ USA announces that Todd Rodeffer, a 13 year veteran staff person from Western IL Youth for Christ was presented with The Five Essentials Award at their Great Lakes Staff Conference on August 14, 2012.

The honor is Youth for Christ USA’s most prestigious award, recognizing one local staff person within the region whose ministry site reflects all the five essentials YFC has identified that contribute to creating a ministry that is both fruitful and sustainable.

Todd’s ministry in Bushnell is the staging ground through which he has launched mission-driven relationships with young people.  The “Essentials” that we have seen Todd apply in his outreach are:

Widespread Prayer:

He deliberately engages lots of Christians to intercede on behalf of the ministry site. 

Loving Relationships:

He and his team consistently pursue lost kids & engage them in life-long relationships with Jesus.

Faithful Bible Teaching:

He accurately handles Biblical truth, regularly coaching kids to apply it in their lives.

Collaborative Community Strategy:

He intentionally works together with local churches, agencies and other partners to provide sustainable youth and family ministry.

Adults Who Empower:

He strategically develops leaders to reach young people from every people group.

YFC/USA is pleased to have Todd Rodeffer as our Great Lakes YFC Region Five Essential Award recipient for 2012.

Aug12-July Financials

July Donations $3884

July Expenses  $5992

YTD Donations $3884

YTD Expenses  $5992

YTD Shortage ($2108)

**Our fiscal year is

July 2012-June 2013

Aug12-Bushnell, Our Trip to Grenada

Grenada was the highlight of the month for sure.  It was great to get to go with Michelle.  The 4 girls we took were very well behaved.  We led a VBS for one church each morning of the week and held evening services for another Sunday through Thursday night.

Overall, 27 Grenadian kids made decisions for the Lord on the side of a mountain that week.  We got to pray with many others for assurance of their salvation.  God worked in a mighty way.

I was praying that God would change me and help me to  be renewed in my faith prior to our trip.

Grenada!  A treasured experience it is to me.  To be able to go and see, go and serve, go and be humbled by the Creator.  Yes!

The people are so open to talking about the Lord.  They listen and share their beliefs.  They have not been distracted by so many technological contraptions (inventions).  Most adults seem to have phones.  Some teens even have video games. Life is much simpler though.

With 45% unemployment, basic needs are imperative.  But thanks to the warm climate, there seems to be an abundance of  fruit and plants, which is mostly what they eat.

There is no need for insulated houses or air-conditioning.  Most people do without, or don't even like the air-conditioning, because it makes them cold.

Not only did I get to teach about the One and only Creator, I was taught by their friendliness and open hearts.  One service in the middle of the week, I once again surrendered all to Jesus.  I get so caught up in what “I am doing” that sometimes I miss what God is doing around me.  I was reminded that Jesus often took time to get away, pray, and be ready to do God's will wherever He went.  That's what I need to do, too.

I am so grateful for those of you who prayed for us, or gave a little money for us to go.  It was truly a trip of a lifetime for me.  In a couple of years, I would like to take our family back.

Praise God for what He has done and how He draws all people to Himself, if we let Him.

Pray for...

 · a 16 year old boy named Kaiheba who has a soft heart toward the Lord to find his purpose preaching the Word

· Our family to be changed for the better as a result of serving in Grenada

· a new effort to start up a before school worship and testimony time for teens in Bushnell

· The start of school – that teens connect with someone in the body of Christ.

· Recovery for me as I may have caught some kind of bug from the trip

Aug12-Bushnell, Other Summer Events

At the beginning of the month we took 13 teens to Fun City in Burlington, IA.  Not only was fun had by all, but a good spiritual conversation occurred in the van on the way there.

Praise the Lord for the opportunities to connect with teens!

Toward the end of the month we took a mini  vacation to the Ozarks with Michelle's family.

We mostly hung out and played games, because it was so hot.  But one day, we rented a boat and a wave-runner for 4 hours.  What a blast! 

Even Michelle loved it.  That was special.  Oh, and the go-carts and putt-putt golfing were good, too.  We are so blessed!

Aug12-Bushnell Calendar

CALENDAR

YFC Staff Conference: Aug. 14 – 16

Free Pizza Lunch Aug. 23

Bushnell Fall Festival YFC Float  Aug. 23

Before School Teen time –

Week of Aug. 27

Campus Life Kickoff's – Sept. 10-11

Aug12-Macomb, What a Summer!

This has been an amazing summer for the Lord— and I do continue to wonder why I am so blessed to be a part of it.  If this summer has made my heart sing, I can only  imagine how God views it.

This summer we, naturally, had some fun together—but we also have had opportunities to grow our faith—from summer camp to baptisms to CIY to assisting at a trio of our Pizza Lunch Partners’ VBS  to planning for the fall new ways to help teens develop their faith.

Sadly, we are losing a lot of our core student leaders to college but am excited as this new leadership team continues to develop.  However, I have no doubt that these students have the ability to be a force for the Kingdom of God.

These students are much like our Olympic Team, best summed up by Eric Samuel Timm (his art hangs at YFC):

"17 year old get the gold…   14 year old gets the gold.... 16 year old gets the gold… don't tell me students can't change the world."

We have been able to bless a number of students as a direct result of the VIBE grant.  Eight students benefitted via camp or CIY scholarships.

The sweetest story came as I was having a lunch appointment with a student.  He was telling me that due to circumstances beyond his control, he could not get his desperately needed replacement eye glasses.  He needed $150 to buy them.  I told him that VIBE has gifted us with the ability to buy them for him and would get them that day.  He was so excited this teenage boy couldn’t eat his lunch.

 THEN I felt tested.  As I prepare to pay the bill, the cost is double the original amount he told me.  I swear I heard “this is a test”.  So, I took a big gulp, and paid for the glasses.

This child was giddy.  He had been so limited by his inability to see that his joy was abundantly obvious.  As we finished our time together, I received a text saying they charged too much money; go back and switch checks for that $150.

In that one appointment, this teenage boy saw that people who love him will come through for him. 

In this one appointment,  I saw how God really does  provide for our needs and that we cannot  let the change in dollar amounts change our intent to minister

Aug12-Macomb, What's new this Fall?

NEW THIS FALL

· MONDAYS:  After school hang out 3-6pm

· MONDAYS:  Jr High from 6-7:30.  Dinner will NOT be served; snack only

· TUESDAYS:  Senior High discipleship 7-9pm

· THURDAYS:  Lifetree Café  7-8pm

Aug12-CIY Move

In July, we participated in CIY Move (“old school” folks call it CIY, others call it by its program name, “Move” - so I use both).  The theme of this event was “Where heaven & earth collide” - and focused the week on the Beatitudes.

Day 1 we visited Trusting God.  Day 2 included being sons & daughters of God, especially in a generation considered “The Fatherless Generation”.  This is the first generation to experience Voluntary Fatherhood.  Day 3 we looked at how our lives affect others.  Day 4 was an emotional day as we looked at and initiated actions of forgiveness.       Day 5 focused on being the Salt & Light of the world.

The forgiveness session, overall,  was the most life changing.     We needed to write what/who needed forgiveness and  tape it to our backs—so that someone had to help remove that paper from our backs.

One student, after calling his father, had Dad come take it off his back!  Another asked God for forgiveness for being angry with Him. Another needed to forgive herself.

I still tear as I recall these      stories.    God is Amazing!

Aug12-Macomb What? When?

After School Hang Out has moved to Mondays

after school— 3-6 pm

starting Sept 10

Junior High Campus Life has moved to

MONDAY NIGHTS

6-7:30 pm. 

Starting Sept 10

Dinner will no longer be served, snacks only.

Senior High iConnect

 has moved to

TUESDAY NIGHTS

7-9 pm. 

 .

 Lifetree Café kicks off August 30 7-8 pm

(Adults may attend Sundays 7-8 pm in Industry)

Aug12-Where Can I Plug In?

Students need positive adult role models in their lives, just showing that you care.  That looks different among different people.  Perhaps it’s through

leading a small group, perhaps by serving at pancake breakfast, perhaps by making cookies or providing soda.  EACH of these show kids adults care.

Serving Directly:

· Mondays:  just being available at After School Hang Out 3-5pm

· Mondays: helping lead a Jr High small group 

· Tuesdays:  helping lead a senior high small group

· Wednesdays (every other-ish):  7-9am making pancakes or serving as a morning devotional leader

· Fridays:  Assisting at Pizza Lunch 11:15-12:45pm (note: 2nd lunch starts in the winter,  with lunch ending at 1:30)

· Event Assistants:  On hand to help with specific events (5th Qtr, Kickoff, etc)

Serving Indirectly:

· Cookie Ministers:  This team provides homemade desserts.  We are able to freeze them, so they may be delivered at your convenience

· Soda Fairies… random deliveries of soda (okay to leave on the porch)

· Program Sponsor:  Each program costs a specific amount of money—

perhaps you would like to sponsor it

· Ministry Support:  Financial contribution towards YFC Western IL in general, or as individual support for Lauren or Todd.

· Prayer Team:  pray for specific items, while maintaining confidentiality