Connection
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Spring 2017
Sharing news and light with friends of GEMS
GEMS Girls’ Clubs Executive Board Amy Brooks – Midland Park, New Jersey Linda Herman – Beecher, Illinois Mary Klingenberg – Mount Hope, Ontario Debra Liccar – Crete, Illinois Grace Moes – Mississauga, Ontario Andrea Mulder – Norwich, Ontario Melissa Reitsma – Grand Rapids, Michigan Tina Rooks – Grand Rapids, Michigan Lorelle Rozendal – Grand Rapids, Michigan Jody VanKoevering – Zeeland, Michigan Tracey Venema – Grand Rapids, Michigan Cindy Visser – Zeeland, Michigan
GEMS Girls’ Clubs Staff Executive Director – Cindy Bultema Training Manager – Lenae Bulthuis Operations Director – Michele DeHaan Managing Editor – Kelli Gilmore Graphic & Web Designer – Lisa Hunter Customer Relations – Hannah Noorman Conference Manager – Alecia VanHulzen Publications Director/Senior Editor – Amy White
president’s Letter Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 Indeed, praise be to God for the work He has done and is continually doing through GEMS Girls’ Clubs. The GEMS Executive Board is excited to announce the ministry has a new Executive Director, Cindy Bultema. Cindy has more than 15 years of experience in various ministries. She has a passion for prayer, visionary leadership, and a desire to make Jesus known! Cindy will be at our GEMS Open on May 19, so please register to golf and welcome her to the team. The good news continues within the GEMS ministry. We are overjoyed in sharing that The Esther School is taking its next steps and is standing on its own as of March 1, 2017. This allows GEMS and The Esther School to continue to blossom and grow within their own missions and visions.
You can continue to follow The Esther School on their Facebook page and their website. Thank you for your continued involvement. Your prayers and financial support help us advance our mission of helping bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Joyful in Christ,
Debra S. Liccar GEMS Girls’ Clubs Executive Board President
will you be my valentine? No matter your age, you can’t help but feel special when you receive a note in the mail. That’s why the GEMS of Prinsburg First Christian Reformed and Unity Christian Reformed Churches in Prinsburg, Minnesota have made mailing Valentine’s to widows in their community a tradition. “A counselor in our group thought sending Valentine cards to widows would be a great way to bless those who had lost their spouse and brighten their day with some love from our GEMS girls,” said Club Coordinator, Megan Taatjes. For the past two years, girls have been writing notes in hopes of splashing a little love on someone who really needs it. According to Megan, the girls all agreed receiving a fun card in the mail makes them smile and feel loved—so they wanted to pass it on! “This is a great way for our GEMS to connect with different people in the community,” Megan said. “Some of the recipients will make a point to thank GEMS counselors and girls when they see them at church. This interaction sparks a conversation with someone they might not usually talk with!”
“This is a great way for our GEMS to connect with different people in the community. ... This interaction sparks a conversation with someone they might not usually talk with!”
Beyond Club At GEMS, girls learn they are valued and loved by God. They gain an understanding of what it takes to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. And as they
grow to know God’s great love, those lessons extend beyond their club walls. GEMS impacts parents and communities, too. Parents see changes in their daughter who attend and communities are blessed by the service projects and acts of justice girls perform. Thank you for continuing to support GEMS and the message of love and hope it instills in girls all over the world. You’re making a difference. As girls’ lives are changed at GEMS it creates a ripple effect that is all in God’s hands. Would you consider continuing to support the work of this ministry with a financial donation? Check out how you can get involved on the back page!
teaching girls to walk in his steps Whether you tend to be at the front of the pack calling the shots or prefer someone else to be in the lead, 1 John 2:6 is clear that we should all, ultimately, be followers. It says, Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. Following Jesus means letting His words and actions inform our words and actions. It means modeling our lives after His. It means living like Him! When we accept Jesus’ love, He will transform us from the inside out and we will be able to walk In His Steps.
The 2017/18 GEMS season will be focused on doing just that. Girls will learn what it means to walk, talk, and live like Jesus. Through dynamic Bible lessons, an energetic theme night, and various devotionals and activities throughout the season, GEMS will see how following Jesus transforms their thoughts, words, and actions. You Can Help! Want to help girls learn how to embody this theme? Talk to your local GEMS leaders and see how you can get involved. Maybe you can volunteer to lead a lesson
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or teach girls a skill that will help them understand more ways they can walk In His Steps. And please join us in praying for your local club! Pray girls and counselors alike will have a great summer and will be ready and open to receive this new theme. Want to learn more about what girls in GEMS Clubs are learning? Visit gemsgc.org.
A reach beyond club SHINE brightly and Sparkle are not your average kids’ magazines. Each page of these publications is intentionally developed and designed to equip, inspire, and delight girls in grades 1- 6. Produced without any advertisements, the goal of each magazine is to help girls discover more about God, His Word, and His world, all while helping them see how they can live out Micah 6:8— acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him.
February 2017 w vol. 15 no. 5
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$4.50 USD $4.99 CAD
This winter the fourth graders chose Career Night. Their devotion was on working hard in order to give God glory. And with their annual Pancake Breakfast
Visit her website at www.gemsgc.org/m rm for more information about booking a visit. The Micah Road Mysteries are a product of GEMS Girls’ Clubs, an international ministry that equips women and girls to live radically faithful lives—doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly with God.
www.gemsgc.org
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Invite your favorite reader along for the ride as Chloe and Tasha solve two of their biggest cases. Shadows in Tenebray Forest and The Secret Order are great for girls who love adventure and a good story. Purchase copies for the girl in your life today—they are a great addition to every summer reading list! Visit gemsgc.org for more information and to order your copies.
career connection The counselors at Modesto First Christian Reformed Church in Modesto, California invite girls into the planning process every season. In their club, each small group is encouraged to plan an entire GEMS meeting. They choose a dress-up theme, devotion, snack, and prayer.
MEET THE AUTHOR Sara Lynne Hilton is the former Senior Editor of SHINE brightly Magazine. She is a frequent speaker at conferences, camps, schools, and other events. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with husband and two children. her
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Is there a girl in your life who would benefit from receiving a subscription to SHINE or Sparkle? Maybe it’s your neighbor or one of your granddaughter’s friends. Visit gemsgc.org and click on the magazines to order her a subscription today. You never know the impact it may have!
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Chloe and Tasha are ready for a break. After solving their gest case ever, the bigowners of The Micah Road Detective Agency would love to relax for a while. Instead, Agent starts leaving someone called The the girls clues—cl ues that seem to nowhere. Finally lead an unusual discovery propels the pair into mystery complete with encoded messages a concealed compartm , hidden doorways , ents, and one heavily guarded secret. Will the forces guarding the secret keep the truth or will the girls girls from finding the succeed in unravelin g a mystery that will change their town forever?
The Secret Order
While SHINE and Sparkle provide content and Bible lessons for GEMS Clubs, a large number of our subscriptions reach girls outside of GEMS, as well.
Do you know a girl who loves to read? We’ve got the perfect books for her! The Micah Road Mysteries book series is an extension of the short stories featured in SHINE brightly Magazine. The main characters, Chloe and Tasha, take on mysterious cases in their neighborhood. They started their detective agency because they couldn’t sit back and watch injustice happen—they wanted to take action!
MysTeRies
With Love Friends Help Serve
for your favorite reader The Micah Road
Cool Tools
Both publications feature fiction stories, non-fiction articles, activities, crafts, and Bible lessons. They challenge girls to think outside of themselves and offer lots of ideas for getting involved, taking action, and making a difference in their communities and around the world.
and Bake Sale fundraiser right around the corner, the timing worked well! “We’ve been talking to the girls a lot about serving everyone who comes to [the fundraiser] to the best of our ability, whether they give a large donation or a small one, because in doing so we are serving God,” said Club Coordinator, Chelsea Vander Veen. Many of Modesto First CRC’s GEMS girls
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“We’ve been talking to the girls a lot about serving everyone who comes to [the fundraiser] to the best of our ability ... because in doing so we are serving God.” come from the surrounding community and, Chelsea shared, these special nights give girls the chance to really shine!
Registration Form (or register at gemsgc.org)
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Other Golfers in my Foursome
support gems— one game at a time For the past 20 years, GEMS has hosted an annual golf outing, and many of you have become faithful supporters of this event. Every dollar donated through a game of golf, silent auction item, and sponsorship goes toward advancing the mission of GEMS—to help bring girls into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus. Last year was one of our most successful outings—all thanks to our amazing donors (yourself included!) who believe in the commitment GEMS has toward reaching girls everywhere with the message of Jesus. We pray that you will consider joining us for our 21st GEMS Open this May— whether through sponsorship, a game of golf, or a silent auction donation—so that curriculum can continue to be developed and our clubs have the resources they need to to reach girls. The GEMS Open will be hosted at Diamond Springs Golf Course in Hamilton, Michigan on Friday, May 19. If you can’t make it to the event, we also have a golf-at-adistance sponsorship option for people who still want to be involved. Please consider filling out the form below or registering online at gemsgc.org. If you can’t join us, please tell a business owner or a golfer friend why you’re passionate about GEMS and the impact their donation can make by supporting the GEMS Open. Have questions or want more information? Visit gemsgc.org or contact Kelli at 616-241-5616 ext. 3035 or kelli@gemsgc.org.
Name Address Telephone Email Name Address Telephone Email Name Address Telephone Email
Individual Registration Golf and Lunch — $135
x $135 = ____________
Golf at a distance
x $95 =
c I will be unable to golf with you this year but I would like to make a donation or in-kind contribution of .
Sponsorship Opportunities mEVENT SPONSOR—$2,500
mTEE SPONSOR—$250
mLUNCH SPONSOR—$1,500
mGOLF-AT-A-DISTANCE—$95
mCART SPONSOR—$750
mCONTRIBUTOR—(In-kind or monetary)
mHOLE SPONSOR—$500 Sponsor Name Company Name Address Telephone Email Amount Enclosed Make checks payable to GEMS Girls’ Clubs: In US: 1333 Alger St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 In Canada: PO Box 1100, Norwich, ON N0J 1P0 You can fax your registration with credit card information to 616-241-5558 (US) or 519-424-9331 (CAN).
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Card Number __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Name on account ______________________________________ Address on account _____________________________________ City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal code____________________________ __________________________________________________________ All donations to GEMS Girls’ Clubs from the US and Canada are tax deductible. GEMS is a division of Dynamic Youth Ministries.