Jun 12-Macomb Moments

While I know kids (and some parents) are thrilled school is out, I am a bit disappointed.  Don’t get me wrong, I love summer break as much as most, but May was such a great month, I am sad to take a bit of a pause. 

We had an AMAZING end of school, free pizza lunch.  We had approximately 150 people present (with very few seniors – as they had finished classes)! My favorite moment is that the Special Education class came with their teacher.  Awwww….

If you ever wondered how high those fifty pizza boxes would stack, you will have to use your imagination – because the picture with Tye Adair, Mayor Inman and myself is only 40 boxes high!  There were great community partnerships: Pastor Timm Harding of The Crossing volunteered for the dunk tank, the Mayor served pizza, Skateland donated the inflatables, several organizations set up a “fair” like station available for kids to stop by.

To celebrate our seniors we hosted a Dip & Glow Party.  We had all sorts of dippers for chocolate, white chocolate and cheese fondues – then had a glow in the dark party.  We had so much fun at our dipping party, we had the same format for our volunteer appreciation party.

Heading into summer, we are looking forward to camps, our photo scavenger hunt, prayer walking and other fun activities.  Some are scheduled, some are still to be added.

SENIOR HIGH [iConnect]

10-15         Teen Camp at LaMoine

18, 25        iConnect

21-24        Heritage Days: games, booth & parade need

                 as many as possible – details to follow

JULY

16              iConnect Photo Scavenger Hunt

23-27         CIY MOVE at WIU call Lauren for info   

29- Aug 1  Vacation Bible School  iconnect encouraged

                to come serve

AUGUST

1^st            iConnect

10            End of Summer Bash

14-16         Lauren at YFC Regional Conference

22            First Day of School

24            Free Pizza Lunch

27            iConnect Kickoff

JUNIOR HIGH [Campus Life]

June 19 & 26  Campus Life Summer Model  (more outside games & teaching)  

CAMPUS LIFE BREAKS FOR THE SUMMER - But we have some great events planned!

 June 21-24 Heritage Days  * parade, games and booth - all students invited to assist.  Contact Lauren if you are available to help and if you would like to order a tee-shirt.

July 8-13 Jr High Camp at LaMoine Christian Camp  $190 LaMoineChristianCamp.org

July 17  2nd Annual Photo Scavenger Hunt   6pm

July 29 - Aug 2*VBS at Scotland Trinity  (with Industry Methodist & Assembly)

Aug 7* 6-8pm  End of Summer Bash 

(Aug 22  First Day of School)

Aug 28* Campus Life Kickoff!

Jun 12-Bushnell Beat

June Newsletter info

This past month I am reminded that God gives us boundaries for our protection and our blessings. We had an activity with teens this past month where we demonstrated how God gives us commandments to keep us from harm and to allow us to prosper in the world He has made. These commandments in His Word lead us to knowledge of our own sinfulness and a need for salvation beyond ourselves, found only in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please pray for me and volunteer leaders as we connect teens to Jesus this summer.

Some of the highlights from the past month have been:

• Baccalaureate with graduating seniors at 1^st Presbyterian Church in Bushnell

• Graduation in Bushnell and time with teens at commencing parties

• Golf outing fundraising event for YFC

• Counseling teens with difficult home lives

• Pool party & cookout with teens at the Rodeffer’s for both Sr. and Jr. High

• Coaching 13-14 year old baseball – teaching discipline & teamwork

Prayer items:

Spiritual growth in teens over the summer

That the last Cornerstone Festival will produce spiritual fruit in the lives of people

For boldness to speak into the lives of teens I am connected with

Pray for Michelle and I as we supervise a small group of teens on a mission trip to Grenada in July

Upcoming Events

June 25 Jr. High Ball 4 Trip to Macomb

June 28 Sr. High Ball 4 Trip to Macomb

July 2-7 Cornerstone Festival

July 9 Day at Little Swan Lake with the Schraeder’s

July 13 – 22 Mission Trip to Grenada

May 12-Golf Outing

10th Annual YFC Golf Outing

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

WIU Golf Course

Spend a beautiful day on the links; playing for our youth!


Shotgun start 8 am.  Registration at 7 am. 
$60/person or $220/foursome  Mail entries to: YFC, P.O. Box 126 Macomb, IL 61455 or call 309-833-3026.


Special shout-out to our Major Sponsor:  Catch A Star Learning Center!!  Thank you so much!!

May 12-Finances

Apr Donations   $13,843
Apr Expenses     $11,974
YTD Donations  $77,981
YTD Expenses    $83,629
YTD Shortage    ($  5,648)
(note YTD is July11 to Mar12)

May 12-Macomb Calendar

Senior High                                                                                        Junior High   

May 11    FREE Pizza Lunch for Seniors                                           May 29   School’s Out BASH!          

May 16    Last Pancake Breakfast                                                      June 5, 19 Campus Life

May 18    FREE Pizza Lunch (gr. 10-11)                                           July 8-13  Junior High Camp* at LaMoine

May 24 & 25:  Finals breakfast, break & $2 BBQ lunch                    July 29-Aug 2  VBS at Scotland Trinity

June 1      Summer Event! (Details still being finalized)                          (Industry Methodist & Assembly)

June 10-15  Teen Camp* at LaMoine (Lauren on staff)

June 18, 26  iConnect                                                  

July 23-27  CIY Move* @ WIU

****June 21-24 Heritage Days Games, Booth & Parade ALL students invited to assist.  Details to follow

CAMPS *Teen Camp: $190     Jr High Camp:  $175    CIY Move: $304 ($270 if paid before June 22).  Please register as soon as possible.  Scholarships available – sign up soon!

May 12-Macomb Moments

This past month is just filled with so many memorable moments, some of which could even be captured in photos.  As you received last month’s newsletter, we were on our way to CIY Believe –    an amazing Jr. High worship and learning experience!

Believe includes a large portion of music as a means to get students jumping (aka – worn out) but moreover to connect them with God in a way that’s also age appropriate.  There is nothing like 2,000+  Jr. High kids singing “My God is not dead, He’s surely alive!”  Comedians and teaching times ignite a love for Jesus!  It was just amazing.

 Thank you to all who helped make our yard sale a success! A special thanks to Naomi Kelly, Myra Houzenga, Kathy Eagen and Bev Sowers for diligently getting the items out while I was at Taryn’s award ceremony! We had a bunch of Jr & Sr high students working the event (before, during and after) – and it paid off!  We raised more than $600 for YFC Macomb’s student activity fund!  The leftovers went to The Crossing Thrift Store (and they picked it up!!!) and the books to the Library’s Book Sale.  Your donations blessed three organizations and those who are blessed through them!  Thank you again!

One added benefit of attending Believe that Macomb and Bushnell kids (and leaders) had a chance to get to know each other.  The week after Believe, Bushnell kids came to Macomb.  We just had a great time with each other.  Enjoyed a barbeque cooked by senior high student leaders, played “Human Checkers” and ended with our Giant Ice Cream Sundae (aka: “Ice Cream Trough”).

May 12-Bushnell Beat

Believe? Believe. Believe!  No really, BELIEVE is a youth conference for Jr. High teens and was the highlight of the last month for 15 Bushnell area teens.   All of the teens  got an incredible chance to grow in their faith, worship together, and to see the relevance to  take time reading God' Word.  Two of the Bushnell girls have already read the book of 1^st John together the first week back.  This was perfect timing for these young people.  Nothing changes a person like reading and applying God's truth from His Word.  The only thing that tops Believe in the last month was a young boy trusting Jesus Christ as his Savior! Praise the Lord!!

One day, out of the blue, I was asked to coach a 13-14 year old boys baseball team this summer.   I take this as an opportunity to invest in the lives of these boys-becoming-men, of which one is our son Andrew.  Thank you Lord!  Pray for me to be a good example, teach well, and build relationships.

Over Easter, our family had the chance to get away for 5 days to Boca Grande, FL.  We had been planning this trip since last fall. Thanks to our generous aunt and uncle Treat we had a refreshing time soaking up the sun, walking the beach, fishing, swimming and attending sunrise service on the beach.  We needed that! One more family note: For Abby's birthday present Daddy and Abby went to pick up the latest addition to the family – Lilly – an English Springer Spaniel.  Boy is she cute!

Pray for:

ñ  A young man I recently began conversations about God with

ñ  For leadership at the high school level for next school year

ñ  For teens to stay connected to Jesus over the summer and grow in their faith

Abby & Lilly

Believe 2012

Macomb and Bushnell Jr. high students gather together