Club Kickoff 2012

  We had an amazing club kickoff this last Monday. We held a BBQ at the school and had 36 students show up with some parents and younger siblings in attendance. I used to call the first club Family club, but I realized students didn't show up when I called it this. So our first week is in the books. I don't get to excited about numbers for various reasons (primarily because loving kids isn't a numbers game), but this turnout number is awesome in terms of it being the first club and beating the high mark for a club in winter of last year (26). Last year only a dozen students made it to the first club.
  Part of the key to making club successful is having the students take more and more ownership of club. They have a full year of experience with it, I am more involved on campus, and they are more involved with club. With Mandy becoming the Director for Fern Ridge Middle School Campus Life, students are now having the opportunity to volunteer more with the middle schoolers and mentor them. Above all God has blessed us, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the students lives. Because more important than the numbers is the students learning about who Jesus is and what real Love from Him looks like.
  I had one students tell me at lunch that he could not come to club because it was a Christian thing. I told him we do talk about spiritual things concerning Jesus, but that he was by no means excluded. I explained that a lot of students who come to club are not Christian. While he was trying to tell me that club was not for him he began to start a conversation about his thoughts on God. I encouraged him to come to club after chatting for a bit, because club is a great place to begin and continue that discussion.
  On a different not, I have had several interviews over the past couple months. Recently I had another interview and I am at the point where I would like that supplementary income. Please pray that I get the job. I would like to contribute more of the money I get for Campus Life to the kids and less to my salary. My heart is for them. I also have a heart to support my family and to achieve my hearts dreams I need another job (or a big donor to support me with a ton of cash). Please continue to pray that God leads me, my family, and the students.

Project Hope

4 Schools serviced by spreading bark dust and pulling weeds. Campus Life Students, The Farm Store, Fern Ridge Christian Church, Veneta United Methodist, and Fern Ridge Faith Center all joined together to serve our community. We showed the love of Jesus through our service and have hope that we can do more for our district in these hard economic times. The day culminated for the volunteers in a free lunch at Fern Ridge Faith Center's Block Party. It was great to see students receive school supplies and The Church together at this event. Seeing God's people move as one is amazing and I am glad I had the opportunity to partner with my Brother's and Sisters in Christ.

Below are some pictures from Middle School Camp and the Project Hope workday. I was program-lead along with fellow director Chuck Taylor. I am excited to report that 17 students reported to have accepted Jesus for the first time. Hopefully they can take that love and strength back into some pretty rough home lives.

For program we performed some magic ala "The Prestige". I performed a card trick, made a quarter disappear, read someones mind, and through a ball through a door and had Cody go and chase it while simultaneously his brother Jeremy came in the other door. The Kids were speechless (until we spoiled the trick later). We coordinated the games and activities as well as a skit. One of the benefits to helping with the middle school camp is the opportunity for experience I can pass along to our New Director Mandy Robertson at Fern Ridge Middle School. Mandy has been an amazing volunteer for Campus Life at the High School and has run Child Evangelism Fellowship on the FRMS campus. Our goal is to reach every student at Youth For Christ and that can not be done if you are not on campus.

I am excited for this next school year. We have some big trips planned! Registration got me pumped to meet the new freshman and to hear all the stories of summer adventures. More details to come.

The New Creation

In story writing your supposed to build to the crescendo, I however will start with it. Two of my students Stacey and Adreanna, did something monumental at camp, they accepted Jesus into their lives. These two became new creations in Christ. I have been working with Stacey for some time now (a year and a half). Stacey a year ago was that kid who wanted nothing to do with God. A year ago he believed he was a bad kid.


A Quote from his Facebook wall -
"The important news is I went to camp for a week and had a chance to meet some amazing people and I have become a christian. I know your probably thinking of all people me? But GOD has sure done some amazing things and he sent me to camp so I could learn about his word and how he helps so many people"

His Sister made a different proclamation
"Born agian christian- July 11th 2012"

Camp was full of fun events, friendships, and games. I challenged my students to read their word and grow in the spiritual journey with Jesus as much as they possible could. Camp is an amazing time because it gives students a chance to disconnect from the frenetic pace of the world. No Cell phone distractions, No parental distractions, no life drama and its distraction, and time to slow down and think. For some students it is the first time they have said hi to their brain in a while. I am excited when I see these young people grow and mature and I am super duper excited when they make decisions to follow after Jesus. Last months newsletter was written by a former student named Dylan whose life was greatly affected by his time with Campus Life (he was also baptized this year.) He was one of the first ones to respond to my post on Facebook about these Two embarking on a New Life. This ministry lets me see different generations of students encourage the next.


It is amazing to see the change, and awkward sometimes, in students (because sometimes you can't believe that the same student is a totally different person). I ask for prayer for these two students that they stay strong. It isn't easy in a peer pressure media society to be a genuine Christian. For a student like Stacey who was a sworn atheist, he is going to need your prayers, because his friends may think he has gone crazy. I again as always thank you for your support.


I also hope to post updates soon on the work we are doing to try and start a Middle School Campus Life Program at Fern Ridge Middle School.


 

School club wrap!

What a busy season, with the barn party, middle school all nighter, commandos, and the final club. As stated in the newsletter it has been a crazy year. God has done some amazing things! Christian students are connecting with other Christian students, students who have never gone to church have visited them, the gospel has been preached, students know they have adults they can turn to for advice, and Campus life is recognized as a fun place to go. 

The goal is to bring on a middle school director next year and start some biblestudy/discipleship opportunities for students.

Below is a picture from the middle school all nighter where we took 54 FRMS students. Below that are pictures from club of group discussions after a talk and of a game called don't blow the joker (blow all the cards off a bottle except for the joker). The group discussion times yield varying degrees of depth bases on the students participating. Romans 6:15-21 (MSG because I like to mix it up) was what the talk was based on and the discussion questions. We discussed how we ought to live, one questioned was framed "In light of this does the saying 'you do what you want and I will do what I want' work?" Since the discussion centered on the freedom from sin and freedom in Christ we discussed how your actions can either free you or bind you. 

This last club we had Anthony Hardy guest speak and provide a message about loneliness to the students. Summer for some can be a lonely time, especially if they are isolated in the country with no summer plans.

I look forward to sharing stories and pics from BBQ's, Boating, Paintballing, and Camp. All the activites show how much fun God wants us to have and then we get to talk about what else He could possibly desire for our lives!

Barn Party 2012

The Barn Party was a lot of work and a lot of fun. I was covered in dirt from head to tail by the time the event packed up (took a lot of scrubbing to get clean). I had 22 Elmira students attend the event and they seemed to have a good time. Several of those students participated in the paintball obstacle course, of which Daisy shot me the most. I ran it if the student agreed to let me shoot at them as well. Daisy hit me in the head and 3 other times. I only got the luxury of hitting her twice. I had two students, Stacey and Xavier, run it the most and they will also help me with the middle school all nighter. 

I participated in an event that is different from my personality, mainly my utter distaste for country music and attire. Luckily I love reaching kids with the gospel so this goes out the window to "be all things to all people", thanks Paul. 

Our speaker, Shawn, gave a message about how screwed up and in need of a savior we are. He gave a story from his life about how a student from his youth group whom had a very bad home life. This student had one friend, her dog. While at camp her parents called her to tell her they put the dog down. Shawn ended the camp with a song called dead puppies by a guy named Doctor Demento. Needless to say the song was not uplifting and made the girl burst into tears. The moral of the story is all of us can point out how messed up the human condition is and that in order to make it through and have hope of improvement we need help. 

What a race

We get to run our race with endurance for a reason! Success is a milestone measured over a period of time and with in each point in time. Where we are at now with Elmira Campus life is amazing considering where I started in January 2011. Historically where Campus Life was in Elmira in the 80's not quite but we are getting there. Between various events I would say over 120 current students have been to a campus life event in the last year and a half.

This however is not the point I wish to emphasize. I have a couple students that I have seen tremendous growth in as they start to attend church. I see it in my volunteers as they coordinate events and reach out to the students. I see a couple girls, after the girls retreat, slowly realizing they are looked up to by other girls in their freshman class. One of them picks up a van load of students (several whom are new to campus life club). I get to answer questions from some of the Christian students who want to help their friends but don't necessarily know exactly what to say (their is a reason at our office the sign outside says youth guidance). God is doing something amazing and aren't you glad you get to be a part of it!

We have some students that are in very crummy places. Two students I can think of have a dad that the students might be better off out of the picture. One dad is more emotionally abusive and the other controlling with a fair bit of emotional turmoil for the child. One student who rarely comes to club has parents going through divorce and is caught in a very fragile place. I would name students but they are tech savvy enough to read the blog and that would not be fair to them. However I see a spark in these students and I see potential for them. I see how the Love of Christ reaches them through my staff. Where would they be without the added support?

Upcoming events: BARN PARTY - COMMANDOS - LAST CLUB - SUMMER CAMP - BBQ
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I also performed a wedding at club last week. This was no normal wedding mind you! This was one of my volunteers Mandy and a stick in water miniature man. The miniature man grew in the water,  but was still a bit miniature. The girls dressed in summer dressed and Mandy in all white. Some of the guys lined up as groomsmen. I will post a picture when I get a chance. You may ask why is Skyeler performing fake weddings? I would ask you why wouldn't I perform an event the girls couldn't stop talking about from their retreat that bonded everyone closer together (the purchase of the tiny man). In it I see the heart of the kids for Mandy and her heart for them. In the fun I see God's love poured out!

Happy Easter

As I prepare to take some students to church this Easter, I would hope we would all be reflective on the amazing things the Lord has done for us. The last couple weeks I hosted a dear friend I met five years ago while on a mission trip to Mozambique. Feliz Correia was a former orphan working in the orphanage that raised him. I had the opportunity to fly Feliz over during spring break for a visit and his first trip to the United States. Over and over again, whether speaking at my wife's school, at Campus Life Club, or in the public school class rooms at EHS, he said we are a blessed nation. 

Thanks for your continued support to show these kids love and to bless them, and further more help them realize the blessings they have in Christ Jesus. 

May you take the time to reflect as we approach Easter on all the Lord has done for you, and how he is calling you to be a blessing!

I also had the opportunity to go to my first Portland Timbers game (with Feliz too).