July 2010-Banquet Date & Location Change

Mark your calendars!!!

The Annual YFC Fundraising Banquet is moving!!!

New Location: Spoon River College’s Community Outreach Center at 2500 East Jackson in Macomb

New Date: Friday, November 12th, 2010

-this is one week earlier

July 2010-Macomb News

Hi All - My name is Lauren Surprenant and I have been having a great time with the YFC kids since the end of May. We hosted our First Annual (?) Photo Scavenger Hunt. We had 12 kids participate! Frankly, any activity that gets a picture of a Board Member in a sombrero, in her bathtub with 4 teens is surely one memorable event! (Thank you Kelly Barsi!)

The YFC building in Macomb hosted a youth group event. The first event connected YFC with other Jr/Senior high schoolers, including students from the Industry/Rushville school. We had so much fun, we needed to call parents and ask if we could extend the time.

Because of this event, we are launching a mentoring program, connecting godly High Schoolers with Junior High students. Presently, 5 students are connecting with 9 students. This program kicks off June 24, with a Connection Event at Ball Fore. Three remaining YFC students are interested in working with younger kids - I will be working to launch that sometime in July (I hope).

A few more social events are being developed. If you would like to stay informed as they are developed, please email me at Laurensurp@yahoo.com to get onto an email mailing list or join the Facebook Group, YFC Macomb.

July 2010-Bushnell Beat

SUMMER = MORE FAMILY TIME

Thank the Lord for summer time. I really do enjoy all of the seasons that He has made. For me, summer is a chance to spend a little more time with Michelle and the kids, because they are not in school.

In mid-June we took a trip up north to Lake Benedict, MN for my mother’s family reunion. The last time we did this was 12 years ago. Ironically enough, that was our first summer on staff with Youth for Christ. My how time flies. I am reminded of Psalm 103 v. 15-16, where it says, “As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field, the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” We have only a relatively short time here and it’s very important how we live our life.

Finding their place in this world

Summer is also a great time to connect with teens. We have already had several to our home, helping with projects, playing with kids, hanging out in the pool, and of course eating. You can never underestimate the example of Godly living for teens that grow up in an ungodly environment. The teens God has drawn to me are desperate for that role modeling. They haven’t seen their parents embrace their children with love and take time to talk situations out. They haven’t had the family interaction time together. I just can’t imagine life without spending significant time with my family. But, some of these teens do not have that interaction with their parents and siblings. It’s almost as if they are at war. They are starved for attention and meaningful interaction. No wonder we have so many kids diagnosed with ADD or ADHD or … Pray for teens in Bushnell to see the difference Christ can make in their future.

A new world for a senior

Casara trusted Jesus Christ as her savior in the spring of 2009. This year she graduated from BPC. Over the last year she has grown in her walk with the Lord, through reading the bible, attending church, helping with jr. high girls ministry and Depth Charge. Pray with me for her as she stretches her wings and flies. Pray that she will seek the Lord’s leading in her life. She really likes children and plans to take classes related to working with kids this next school year.

Things to pray about

Pray for a needy young lady that is 18 and has been left behind when her mother went out east to relocate. Some Bushnell YFC teens have helped her out in the last month.

Pray for Andrew and Abby to be Godly influences on their friends in Jr. High

Pray for the ministry of Faith Bible Camp and other Christian camps this summer

Pray for a teen named Boyd (not his real name) that I spoke with about the Lord the other day. He needs to trust Jesus as his