Child-care

Just wanted to share an image of some of our Student Discipleship group running child-care at last nights YoungLives meeting downtown. “YoungLives offers teen moms relief from the isolation and struggle of their daily lives and hope for the future. YoungLives mentors provide friendship, parenting advice and help meeting the practical demands of raising a child.” If you have 5-8 hours a week and would be interested in getting involved let us know!

Art Auction

We hope you can join us Saturday Nov. 21st, at Urban Mill Cafe (click here for a map), for our 3rd Annual Young Life Art Auction/market. Bid through silent auction on locally made work. Enjoy coffee with friends, live music, and see our communities art work. Proceeds support G.R. West Young Life.

Saturday November 21st

7:00 – 9:00 (bids closing at 8:50)

Urban Mill Cafe

629 Michigan St. NE

Grand Rapids, Mi. 49503

Coats

I just wanted to share an image of coats that our Student Discipleship group (from Calvin and Grandville) have been collecting to give to those in need this season. Great work guys! We’ve been communicating with our Lee High School team to figure out a creative way to get their club kids involved in this process too! Look out for further posts.

Banquet Numbers

We would just like to thank all of those who were able to attend our banquet last week. Your support and gifts in this time affirms your commitment to teaching kids in our community about Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. Thank you!

 

-Here is the banquet breakdown by numbers-

$12,410 …………..Amount raised the night of the banquet

$18,885 ………….Amount pledged to give

$31,295 ………..Total

-Here is a recap of our area numbers-

$173,500 ……….Yearly budge for 2.5 staff

9 …………………….Ministries

450 ………………..Estimated number of kids weekly

72 ………………….Number of volunteers in schools

432 ………………..Average hours volunteers Spent with kids weekly (Conservative)

36 ………………….Number of volunteer leaders per field staff (2 field staff, 1 part time admin.)

 

-Current Financial Status-

• GR West Young Life is in deficit, resulting in 1/4 pay reduction to 2.5 staff.

-Brief field staff job description-

• Recruit, train, equip, and sustain healthy volunteer ministry teams.

 

The Rebels

Tonight two of our volunteer leaders had the privilege of sharing the significance of Christ to students from Godfrey Lee High School.  I had the opportunity to sit in a small group discussion after this message. Once again I was amazed by some of the experiences these students have had.  One student shared about getting jumped in his own neighborhood, then minutes later having a gun pulled to his face. More stories like this were shared in our group with a sensitive, lighthearted demeanor. Please keep our Lee High School leadership team in your prayers as they are continually working to connect with these students. Kids whose understanding of a God who protects, and gives life is a very literal one.

Shoes

Just wanted to share this picture one of our Byron Center Leaders sent out last night.  Those shoes belong to the students of Byron Center High School. This was one of four Young Life activities that happened last night in West GR, and more will be happening through out the week.

One More Hot Basement for B.C. Middle

With lots of energy, a slew of middle schoolers, and a gang of student/adult leaders our area held it’s first official Wyldlife club for Byron Center Middle. Wyldlife is a place where leaders are privileged to learn their middle school friends’ names, hear their stories, and provide a safe place for them to feel hear and experience God’s love (what is Wyldlife?).  In this opening club gross games were a hit, the basement was hot, and kids had fun!  We are looking forward to our next Byron Center Middle school club October 22nd.

What’s Significant for the Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults?

Last Thursday evening our area’s staff, and some committee members, had the opportunity to hear Christian Smith speak on his new research findings at Calvin College. Smith is a Notre Dame Sociology professor who has lead extensive research around the topics of religion in modernity, adolescents, American evangelicalism, and culture. With a Lilly endowment he is currently continuing his National Study of Youth and Religion. This work is a complex, longitudinal study investigating the religious and spiritual practices, commitments, and influences of U.S. adolescents. Results from Smith’s “third wave” of research has recently been published. In this work he moves from examining the spiritual commitment of 13-17 year olds to 18-24 year olds (which he coins as ‘emerging adults’). An underlining theme through out this lecture was the significance of relationship. When asked what the most important factor was in determining the religious and spiritual well being in emerging adults, Smith pointed to the role of relationships, concluding “parents and religious supportive adults matter”. This serves as a great reminder of the crucial role a Young Life leader can have in the lives of their middle school and high school friends.

A Newhall First

Even in the mist of an area deficit things are still moving forward. This past Friday afternoon we had our first Wyldlife club ever at Newhall middle school (what’s Wyldlife?). Our intentions for Wyldlife is for it to be a fun, safe place where middle school students can hear about and experience how much they are loved. This club is lead by John Quist, through our Young Life church partnership with Calvary Christian Reformed Church. At the end of this club John was able to share about Zacchaeus’s desire to get a closer look at Jesus. Please contact us if you have any questions about getting involved with what’s happening at Newhall Middle School!

Training (part 3)

This past Monday evening we concluded our September all area leader training meetings. During the night we were visited by W.E. Cookies, and enjoyed some local, eco-friendly unique cookies (m-live article). We reviewed content our leaders learned at the Timberwolf Leader Weekend. We also watched an interesting video posted on Penn Jillette’s video blog. Penn is a performer in the Penn and Teller stage act in Las Vegas, and a very outspoken atheist. We processed Penn’s reaction to his encounter with a proselytizer. This night concluded our formal all area leader trainings.