Youth Unlimited Magazine | Fall 2013

Building god’s Kingdom YOUTHUNLIMITED MAGAZINE FALL 2013

2013 PRAISES | THE FACES OF YOUTH UNLIMITED | SERVE 2014 | RESOURCE BOX

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Contents OPENING NOTE: WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST ......................... PG. 3 FACES OF YOUTH UNLIMITED................................ PG. 4 FROM FAST & FURIOUS TO JUST BEING: A SERVE STORY.................................................. PG. 6 YOUTH UNLIMITED STAFF PICKS. . .......................... PG. 8 BRIDGING THE GAP............................................ PG. 10

YOUTH UNLIMITED | FALL 2013 Youth Unlimited has a rich 90 year history of assisting churches ministering to youth. Birthed out of the Christian Reformed Church, Youth Unlimited remains committed to the reformed perspective while serving alongside congregations of any denomination. We strongly believe that the local church is the tool God is using to reveal himself to this world, and we are blessed to partner with congregations to offer faith-forming experiences that reach this generation of youth for Jesus Christ!

This informational magazine is printed in the United States as a free resource to churches across North America. It is published triannually by Youth Unlimited, Grand Rapids, MI. Design & Publication Director | Jim Bowerman Contributing Writers | Youth Unlimited Staff, Cody Statema, Emily Entsminger Cover Photo Credit | Eric and Jana Photography* ericandjanaphotography.com | *Photo taken at Houston, Texas Serve 2013.

2013 PICTURES AND PRAISE.............................. PG. 12

Editor | Megan Nollet

SERVE 2014. . ................................................... PG. 16

USA | Postmaster, please send undeliverable copies and address changes to: Youth Unlimited PO Box 7259 Grand Rapids, MI 49510 Canada | Canada Post International Sales Agreement #41124116. Please send undeliverable copies and address changes to: Youth Unlimited PO Box 1100 Norwich, ON, N0J 1P0 THE YOUTH UNLIMITED TEAM:

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Executive Director: Jeff Kruithof 616.241.5616 ext. 3043 jeff@youthunlimited.org Missions Director: Jerry Meadows 616.241.5616 ext. 3040 jerry@youthunlimited.org Events Manager: Millie Hoekstra 616.241.5616 ext. 3063 millie@youthunlimited.org Office Manager & Program Admin: Alesha Ebeling 616.241.5616 ext. 3038 alesha@youthunlimited.org Marketing & Communication Director: Jim Bowerman 616.241.5616 ext. 3039 jim@youthunlimited.org Editor & Social Media Coordinator: Megan Nollet 616.241.5616 ext. 3045 megan@youthunlimited.org

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who we are in christ

BY JEFF KRUITHOF

or more than a year the staff of Youth Unlimited prepared for this past summer. We prayed that students who attended a Youth Unlimited experience would come to understand that what we do grows out of who we are in Christ, and that being in Christ changes us and our actions. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This Scripture was the focus of study at 27 Serve Sites and at The Chicago Project this year. This summer we were also grateful to roll out our second Live It experience.

All total, approximately 2,000 youth and leaders sought to bring hope to a broken world with the love of Jesus Christ through one of our experiences. We continue to pray that the work of their hands and the words of their mouths will ripple from the churches and communities they served outwards across North America and beyond. Please join us in praying that through their service the Holy Spirit will continue to move in the hearts of each student and will bring about a faith that impacts every aspect of their lives.

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It is hard to believe that summer is now over and a new church ministry year is upon us. But it is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we send you this issue of the Youth Unlimited Magazine. Because now we finally get to roll out our faithforming experience opportunities for 2014! During these experiences students are going to dive into the message of Isaiah 58. This Scripture and 2014 year’s theme, Divine Normal: Kingdom Living By Mere Mortals, will confront apathy, empty religion and indifference to the needs of others. This is God’s call, his heart’s cry for his people, that they use their God-given potential to help those in need.

Your don atio n mat t e rs!

God’s story of redemption is the most powerful love story we can share with one another. God’s

As youth workers responsible for assisting youth in their faith formation, please know that Youth Unlimited is here to help you. Much thought, many prayers, lots of work and hundreds of volunteers are eager to partner with you in the coming year and beyond.

redemption story is shared over and

Longing for students to develop faith for life!

churches organize and orchestrate

over on Serve mission trips, and students are impacted on a personal level as a result.

We are about the work of lifechange at Youth Unlimited. We help events where students will be challenged to develop lasting faith.

Will you join us in this work of reaching out to young people? Your gift will provide funding for faithforming events that God can use to draw our students to his heart of

JEFF KRUITHOF is the Executive Director of Youth Unlimited. He has many years of experience in non-profit leadership and a love for God’s work through the local church.

love. Please join us in this endeavor!

SCAN TO D O N AT E T O DAY!

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S E F A C 4 |FALL 2013

Jeanette Hielkema

Q A Q A Q A Q A

Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

Q A

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser?

Depends on the weather. During the summer I’m out in the gardens.

In winter, I’ll be in my favorite chair with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Where’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

My favorite place is Tim Horton’s or a pizza place. I like them to be able to have something in their hands. Our conversations flow easier when the total focus is not on talking.

What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

I refuse to grow up! I accept their challenges as they accept mine. I read a lot. I like to keep in touch with the youth through Facebook.

What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?

The Bible! Also Sticky Faith by Powell/Clark.

We do lots of crazy things—but not necessarily for fundraisers.

They are just dares that we make up (leaders must participate!). We went sledding down a steep hill on mattresses once.

Trent Elders

Q A Q A

Where would we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

If there is not a youth activity going on, I am one of four places: fly fishing, taking photos of a wedding, biking to the Farmers Market or reading on my porch with my wife.

What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?

Rowster Coffee. This is a coffee shop that cares not only about where they get their beans, but how they roast and brew each cup.

It is a great atmosphere to have deep conversations with students, and it feels slightly cleaner and more comfortable than your average Taco Bell meeting spot.

Q A Q A Q A

I never leave for youth group without:

Q A

What do you do to stay relevant to youth?

My youth ministry bag: Bible, Moleskin notebook, pen, iPhone, iPad, projector dongle, Swiss Army Knife, flashlight, guitar pick.

If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

He has a beard. . . .

Where would you like to travel someday?

Middle Earth

Brandon Bajema

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Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?

I recently attended a youth ministry conference for the first time. I will go every year now. It was impactful and filled up my cup to come back to my youth refreshed and with new ideas. I also frequent other youth pastors’ blogs—it gives me new ideas and helps me find new perspectives on relevant issues for today’s youth.

Q A Q A

If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say?

CHICAGO FAN, AWESOME YOUTH PASTOR!

Q A

What got you started going to Youth Unlimited’s Serve or other experience?

I grew up going to Serve and Convention (now Live It). I loved the faith-forming experiences and the life-changing issues they brought to my attention. As an adult and now a youth pastor, I love to give my youth the same opportunities.

Serve has been instrumental in helping my group of youth grow spiritually each year.

Jeanette is on the left in the first picture with some students on Serve this year. Trent is pictured in the middle on a church outing. Brandon is on the right in the last picture playing a game at this year’s Houston, Texas Serve. Let us know if you’d like to be interviewed for a future issue of the Youth Unlimited Magazine at interview@youthunlimited.org.

Where would you like to travel someday?

I love to travel! The place I’d most like to go is Ireland, because my favorite band U2 is from there!

Most Saturday mornings you either find me out in the yard, working a job of mine or hanging out with my amazing wife. youthunlimited.org | 5

FROM FAST AND FURIOUS TO JUST BEING: A SERVE STORY

BY CODY STATEMA

Fast and Furious: Going on Serve is always great.

One of my favorite parts about Serve is not the delicious food, not meeting up with new leaders, not joining in the impromptu volleyball games. I love all these things for sure, and they are inevitably always in abundance; but one of my favorite things about Serve is that I get to rent a van.

Yeah, that’s right: I get to rent a van! Great stuff happens in a van full of eager and excited students.

There’s the singing, the endless containers of cookies, the stories, the Madlibs, the coloring contests (these are typically very intense), and on and on. These van rides are great! Although, in the interest of full disclosure, one of my greatest joys in these van rides is the fact that I get to drive a big vehicle. Hearing the roar of an engine larger than a puny four6 |FALL 2013

cylinder is quite an experience for a guy who has spent way too much time driving a little Saturn around over the years. Seriously, I have to hold myself back when I leave the rental company’s parking lot so that I don’t peal out right then and there.

This unfortunate personality trait is what led to one of our group’s most memorable van rides.

Vikings), we passed a policeman hanging out in the median, who promptly turned in behind us and turned on his lights in pursuit.

There really should be some kind of exemption. I mean, how do the police really expect a guy like me to go only 65 mph (104 kph) in a great big V8 on the open road? It’s just not fair.

I was dumbfounded. Here I was with a van full of students, heading out to Serve, and now I had to talk to a policeman about speeding in a rental van that cruised so beautifully down the road. Honestly, with all the energy, sugar, and excitement pumping through that vehicle, I should have been pulled over and given a medal for only going 75 mph, not a ticket.

So there we were, riding in our van to Sioux Falls, SD for Serve. We were excited and ready for a week of worship and service. Just a mile north of Mankato, MN, on one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country (which also happens to be a notorious stretch of highway for pulling over speeding Minnesota

But it was a ticket I got, and a nice little lecture as a bonus. It was a lesson in humility, and one that my students have never let me forget, especially since I had been pulled over in the middle of North Dakota coming back from Serve a couple years before. I believe I have learned my lesson . . . for now anyway!

OVERALL, IT’S HARD TO BE HUMBLED. IT HURTS, AND FOR SOME IT CAN BE A KNOCKOUT PUNCH. Just Being Have you ever been hit in the face with a watermelon? I would imagine it would not feel the greatest and would be quite the wake up call, provided it didn’t knock you out. This summer’s Serve theme, Just Be, was like a massive seeded countercultural watermelon to our faces. It confronted us as leaders and students with the reality that we do not go on Serve just for the van rides or just to fix things like people or houses or fences. We don’t go to make gardens and yards look better, make the best lunches to hand out to the needy, or even make spotless, bug-free cars at car washes.

The reality is that we go on Serve to Just Be impacted by the grace and glory of our God as he works in our midst. He is the one who made us, knows our pain, frees us from our sin and sends us out in boldness by the

power of his Spirit. It was humbling to be confronted by the truth of that message from Scripture this summer on Serve. We needed to have our eyes opened to the fact that all the things we set out to do are our daily response of gratitude for Jesus’ work in our lives. Only then are we used as instruments of his grace.

Overall, it’s hard to be humbled.

It hurts, and for some it can be a knockout punch. However, the message to slow down and Just Be in the Lord and in his grace is a message that many of us needed to be refreshed by this summer.

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by

the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Serve is an experience designed to build momentum for Host Churches who want to serve their community year-round as an expression of the gospel, with no strings attached. Host Churches are aware of the organizations and individuals within their communities who are asking God for help. The Serve student workforce provides hands-on help with a large dose of joy and hope in the name of Jesus Christ. Serve is a mutual learning experience, since the individuals being served also have much to share.

For students and youth leaders, Serve sets the environment for seeing a world in need as well as how the gospel meets that need. Through personal devotions, small group discussions, vibrant worship music, an inspiring speaker and 24/7 compressed relationships, students can dig deep into the Word of God and apply it to their journey with Christ. Through the service opportunities, they will learn about community revitalization, creation care, compassion for the marginalized and much more. youthunlimited.org | 7

Y O U T H U N L I M I T E D S TA F F P I C K S : Jerry: Soul Pancake has been called a “brain batter of art, culture, science, philosophy, spirituality and humor.” Every aspect of the website and the videos posted is designed to open minds, challenge thoughts and be a good time. Under the “Conversations” tab of the website, readers are invited to post a question or respond to one. “Where is the most recent place you have found unexpected beauty? Why is it so hard to let go of memories that bring us nothing but pain and suffering?” There are some deep questions here. The responses, if not as deep, are at least authentic.

For me, it’s the questions posed that make this website a go-to resource for my life and ministry.

Alesha: Bread & Wine

by Shauna Niequist is a compilation of stories about family relationships, friendships, faith and the community that can be found around the table. Niequist shares the blessings and struggles of her story while intertwining the recipes that link to those memories. Her honesty and vulnerability about life challenge me to invest heavily in the relationships that God has put into my life.

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Megan: The book Silence,

by Shusako Endo, delves deep into the dangerous world of missionaries operating secretly in Japan during the 17th century. A work of historical fiction, this book raises difficult questions regarding the true nature of faith and compassion, as the missionaries eventually realize that the only way to save their new converts from the physical suffering inflicted by the government is to renounce the very faith they came to share. The book invites the reader into self-examination: if someone you loved dearly were going to be killed if you did not renounce your faith, what would Christ have you do?

Jim: Making one of TIME’s 50 Best Websites of 2013, the free website, This is My Jam allows users to pick their jam (favorite song) of the week. A social site in-and-of-itself, it also links up with the rest of the social networking world to showcase your current favorite song. I love this because I am a music connoisseur and introducing new music to others and discovering theirs is a community I am elated to be a part of. Beyond new jams, I think keeping our faith in Jesus and our pulse

connected to culture is a great thing, and this is yet another way for me to do so.

Jeff: Yes, I was one of the 8 million viewers of the season 3 finale of Duck Dynasty. My daughters and I have watched nearly every episode of each season—we love it! I’ve been drawn to the show because its values reflect those instilled in me growing up—faith, family and the outdoors.

As much as I enjoy the show, I cannot imagine being a Robertson, having much of my life captured on camera for the viewing pleasure of others. It’s caused me to wonder what values people would identify in a show about me and my family?

How about yours?

The staff pictured above from left to right: Jim, Alesha, Jerry, Megan and Jeff. If you have a book, blog, website, music or anything of the like that you’re really into or think we should check out, let us know at reviews@youthunlimited.org.

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Bridging the Gap

BY Emily Entsminger

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very summer a group of students and leaders from our church embarks on a service opportunity through Youth Unlimited. We have chosen our location carefully, prayed and prepared ourselves for the week ahead. As we gather in the church parking lot—bags full, a bit anxious, unsure of what to expect—we wonder what lies ahead.

The series of emotions, experiences, stories, and worship that unfolds throughout the week is invaluable and impactful. There is something about intentionally setting aside our busy lifestyles—cell phones, internet, our usual routines—that allows us to become more fully open to the movement and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

And then before we know it the week is over. Oftentimes coming home can be a bit disillusioning.

We have just had a wonderful faith-forming, relationship-building experience and are left wondering,

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“Now what?” How do we bring what we have seen and learned back home with us? How do we allow God to continue the work he has started in us?

Our students live in a generally safe and quiet community—most have not encountered hunger, homelessness, addiction, poverty, or broken families; they live relatively secure lives. One of the reasons a service opportunity is so challenging for our students’ faith is because they must face these issues head-on. Their eyes are opened, and their beliefs challenged.

This is why it is often hard to bridge the gap between our service site and our small quiet town. This year—after wrestling with these hard questions for the past few—our youth group is seeking to seize this valuable experience by engaging in service opportunities in our own backyard. We called some local ministries to set up opportunities where we could continue handson, faith-forming experiences.

Our primary requirement for our locations was that our ministry sites be relationally based instead of task oriented. Our small groups are meeting once a month at these ministry locations hoping to build relationships, share the Good News and encounter God. We are partnering with families and individuals of different ethnicities, abilities and a variety of backgrounds, including past imprisonment, addiction and the effects of age. Our hope is that these sites will allow our students to implement the lessons they have learned on previous service trips to enhance our own community.

This will also help students who will embark on service trips in the future. Through this experience we are seeing generosity, hospitality, openness, deep faith and wisdom.

Our hope is that of Philippians 2— that we would be one in spirit with God, considering others and their interests above our own.

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LIVE IT 2013 | RESTORING A BROKEN WORLD

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Summer 2013 praise reports Students from Youth Unlimited’s Live It conference, which was held at Robert Morris University, volunteered their time on July 24th-26th. During these three days they put their hands to work and focused on accomplishing projects in our ReStore and construction site at 48 Bridge Street in Beaver Falls. This group’s talents were such a blessing to us! They installed shelving in our ReStore storage area and sorted ReStore donations. They tore down and back-filled the old garage and installed windows and doors at the house. THANK YOU! ~ Habitat for Humanity Praise Jesus for the hard work you do, Youth Unlimited! God is using you to make a BIG impact for his kingdom!

Thank you for Live It 2013 PA; it was such a terrific blessing to our Pine Grove students! ~Jackie Kamp, Live It leader I just want to send a big thank you to the group who came to my place last Tuesday morning. It was the most enjoyable time. We worked, cried, laughed, had fun and ate. Who could ask for more? I have made a donation through the Church here in Woodstock, Ontario. I pray you will be able to continue with this wonderful way to get young people involved with helping others as the Bible’s teachings would have them do. I can’t tell you what a wonderful experience it was. I am 71 years young. My husband passed four years ago. Some of the jobs hadn’t been done since then—cleaning the big front storm window—I was afraid I would fall off the ladder so I just haven’t tried to do it myself. THANKS FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! ~Serve recipient Hi Youth Unlimited, I just thought I would touch base with you regarding the youth (one student) from our church that you guys helped send to London Serve. He came home very excited and is still talking about Serve. He wants to go again next year! The experience was truly life changing for him, and his parents are thrilled. Thank you so much for making this happen. He was able to see Christ in an environment that was different from what he was used to and grow from that! ~Serve Sending Church leader We just shared with our church on Sunday morning that our kids had a life changing time at The Chicago Project.

God spoke to their hearts so much throughout this experience! We got to share this at the first service in our new church building; what a great way to start!

We are so thankful to Youth Unlimited for all your work! God truly poured out his Spirit at The Chicago Project. ~Jake & Wilma Hiemstra, The Chicago Project leaders

Scan the QR codes to the left for links to other great news stories from this summer! If you have links to other news, photos, videos or testimonies related to this summer, let us know by emailing us at news@youthunlimited.org.

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SERVE 2013 | RESTORING A BROKEN WORLD

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ISAIAH 58

W H AT C A N G O D D O W I T H M E T O D AY , R I G H T W H E R E I A M ?

Serve 2014

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e recognize that it can be hard for high school students to feel as though they are truly living for Christ and for the Kingdom. Our goal with the 2014 Serve theme is to inspire students with the fact that God can and will use them, right where they 16 |FALL 2013

are, to make a real impact on their world today. They will be equipped with information and resources for becoming conscientious consumers; they will develop a passion for sustainable service work; and they will even be challenged to tap into culture and use resources like social media to spread the word and make a greater impact for the Kingdom and the cause of true justice!

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For 2014, Youth Unlimited is excited to partner with Live58, Communities First and World Renew for Serve

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The fundamental truth is that God exists, and he is engaged in creation and culture. Students will be encouraged to celebrate their gospel call to be co-workers with Christ by bringing about restoration in the world right where they are. They will be challenged to add practical justice initiatives and spiritual disciplines to their existing routine. By the end of the week, students and leaders will be encouraged to engage their congregations back home with a Kingdom-impacting project that will take place in fall or winter of 2014 in order to keep the momentum from their summer trip moving towards a lifestyle of missions.

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Inspired by God’s exhortations to his people in Isaiah 58, the theme for 2014 will address issues of justice that “ordinary” people can do something about right away. “Normal” will be redefined in heavenly standards, so that students can see just how radical everyday Christian life and love can become.

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Students can get even more confused after returning home, because changing the world often gets put on hold altogether. Thoughts of world restoration can be drowned out by the need to get good grades, a good job, enough money and a successful life. But is it really one or the other? Can a student in the midst of homework, sports, tests and friends really help change the world with the gospel? Or for some of us, are our lives just too normal to have divine Kingdom impact?

We may wonder if we’re missing a higher calling or if there’s a way that everyday life can become more radically Christian.­­­­­­

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On mission trips students often hear the invitation to go into all the world with the gospel. Youth leaders and speakers clearly present Christ’s words to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow him. But that can make it sound like missional living requires world travel and gospel preaching on a diet of bugs.

That might be either scary or exciting, but it’s not an accurate picture of Kingdom service for everyone.

and to bring real stories of community impact and resources that will aid continued service beyond the Serve week.

If you want to get a head start on this theme, read the book Fast Living by Dr. Scott Todd. All Serve Speakers and Worship Leaders will be encouraged to read this before Serve, and both Host and Sending Churches will be encouraged to watch the movie, LIVE 58.

BY JERRY MEADOWS

Author of 2014 Material

R E G I S T R AT I O N f o r s e r v e 2 0 1 4 O P E N S N O V E M B E R 1 AT Y O U T H U N L I M I T E D . O R G / S E R V E youthunlimited.org | 17

Serve at

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Serve Sites

Custom Serve

Serve Sites are one week mission experiences hosted by local churches throughout the United States and Canada. Host Churches request to host 40 - 100 students to help with their community outreach and revitalization.

The students and youth leaders come from four or more Sending Churches with a usual maximum group size of 15 participants. Groups larger than 15 must register for two or more Serve Sites.

This is because Serve Sites are meant to provide students with an experience of fellowship and unity with the larger body of Christ. Relationships at Serve Sites deepen fast since the participants are put into random work teams, which also function as the students’ small groups throughout the week.

For a Custom Serve, Youth Unlimited steps out of strictly a programmatic or organizational viewpoint and asks God for his leading. As followers of Christ, we are willing to invest time, money and resources for God’s glory and the sake of the gospel. Serve Sites are never cookie cutter experiences. There are best practices and high standards maintained across the board, but each experience is unique due to the variety of churches hosting and the way God works in specific congregations and communities. If you have a group of 30 or more, Youth Unlimited has a small number of Host Churches willing to develop a Custom Serve for your group.

Contact Youth Unlimited to find out more about this option. If 30 students and youth leaders is a stretch for your church, make it a multi-generational trip, and bring a few more parents or older adults along.

a Glance Serve Projects

The Serve Experience

Serve Projects last for five days and are hosted at a Christian college. These colleges can host upwards of 250 students at a time in order to build on their year-round community outreach efforts. During a Serve Project, youth groups stay together the entire time and are led by adults from their own church. There is no limit on how many students a group can bring.

Serve Projects are meant to provide an atmosphere of high energy and service opportunity in which youth groups can grow unity with each other and connect relationally with their own leaders, while also having plenty of opportunity to interact with people from other churches. The Chicago Project will be back in 2014, along with a new location—The Prairie Project!

Participating in Serve, whether at a Serve Site, Serve Project, or Custom Serve, will introduce your students to the concepts of justice and missional living. At any Serve experience you and your students will be introduced to and involved in one or more of the following types of service work: •

Community Revitalization

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Compassion for the Marginalized

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Creation Care

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Recreational Ministry for Children

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Acts of Kindness

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Serve FAQS How much is a Serve trip?

Serve Sites start at $295.00 if registration is completed by March 31. Everything is included except transportation and a t-shirt (available for purchase). After March 31, prices increase by $50. A few sites vary on price depending on length of experience and transportation.

Check out Site Descriptions online for specific details.

*Please note if you would like Youth Unlimited to use this form to register you online, there is a Paper Registration Form Processing Fee. In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, Youth Unlimited is trying to reduce our paper trail and move away from paper forms.

When will I find out what mission trip I got into?

Unlimited’s insurance becomes the primary coverage. Submitting a claim does not ensure that the insurance company will pay the claim. Participants are not covered while traveling to or from the mission experience. Check with your insurance provider to verify your coverage in the state/province/ country where you are traveling, and bring a copy of your insurance card.

What does a typical day look like?

Please allow three to four weeks for your pre-registration to be processed.

You will receive written confirmation by email.

7:00 AM – Breakfast/Prepare Lunches

Will my group be split up?

What’s the Transportation Policy?

4:00 PM – Showers/Free Time

Yes, the Host Team will place participants in work/small groups, trying to not have people from the same church in the same group in order to promote community among the entire group. In order to facilitate strong team building and build new interpersonal relationships, it is necessary that groups of 15 or more are divided between two or more Serve Sites. If you want to keep your group together, then one of our Serve Projects is for you. Check out The Chicago Project or The Prairie Project!

Registration fees do not include transportation to and from sites (except where noted). Any exception is noted on the Site Descriptions as “onsite transportation included.”

6:00 PM – Dinner

Each group must provide vehicle(s) and adult driver(s) to transport participants for the duration of the mission trip. If your group is unable to provide van transportation, please contact Youth Unlimited to discuss options and additional charges.

11:00 PM – Lights Out

Are scholarships available?

Also, check out the Digital Resource Box on our website for numerous trip resources for your group:

How do I register?

Pre-registration opens November 1. For Serve Sites you will need to indicate your top three site choices.

By placing a $50 pre-registration deposit per spot, you are reserving the specified number of spots for a site.

After you receive confirmation of your site placement, you can then register in full. There are two options for registering: 1. Online 2. Download the full registration form and mail it to the Youth Unlimited office.

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Yes! Need-based scholarships are available for Serve. Download a scholarship form from the Digital Resource Box and/or contact us for more information.

What about insurance?

Youth Unlimited carries secondary health insurance and liability insurance. All insurance claims must be submitted to the participant’s individual insurance first. Youth Unlimited’s insurance will begin where the participant’s insurance ends for any medical expenses incurred while at the site. If a participant does not have insurance coverage, Youth

8:00 AM – Devotions 8:45 AM – Leave for Worksites

7:30 PM – Evening Session 9:00 PM – Small Group Discussion 10:00 PM – Snack and Free Time

Follow the QR below for the full list of Serve FAQS:

Live justice. Love mercy.

serve christ.

Much of the world’s population lives in poverty, surviving on less than $2 per day.

World Renew works with churches and Christian partners worldwide to empower women and men to overcome poverty and injustice, and achieve their God given potential. Join

for k o o L in w e n e r World 2014 serve

us.

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Dates & Descriptions the projects

confirmed sites

JULY 6 – 10

June 21 – 28

The Prairie Project

Crown Point, IN

July 28 – Aug. 1

Grand Rapids, MI

The Chicago Project

confirmed sites without dates Austin, TX

Lagrave

Bradenton, FL

Roselawn, IN

Byron Center, MI

July 5 – 12

Middle School

Ajax, ON

Grand Rapids, MI

Alamosa, CO Regina, SK

Brookside Church

Hamilton, ON

London, ON

Houston, TX

July 12 – 19

Minnesota West, MN

Bellflower, CA

Peterborough, ON

Muskegon, MI Platte, SD July 19 – 26

Sioux Falls, SD Washington, D.C

Holland, MI July 26 – August 2 West Des Moines, IA

*prices vary starting at $295 USD 22 |FALL 2013

SERVE SITE DATES AND LOCATIONS are STILL BEING ADDED. PLEASE VISIT US AT YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG TO STAY UP-TO-DATE!

July 6 – 10 | The Prairie Project

July 28 – Aug. 1 | The Chicago Project

June 21 – 28 | Crown Point, IN

Expand your view of the world here in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Prairie Project will connect you with various communities so that your group can experience God’s work, meet needs, learn from a variety of people, and participate in God’s mission to and for the world.

Your Kingdom come, your will be done in Chicago as it is in heaven.

Long before NASCAR was popular, Crown Point was the home of an auto race called the Cobe Cup. In fact, this 25-mile race that started in 1909 (the same year Youth Unlimited began assisting churches) is credited with being the forerunner of the Indianapolis 500. In the old days, Crown Point was also known as a “marriage mill,” as local laws made it easy to tie the knot there. And, in 1934, the infamous bank robber, John Dillinger, escaped from the jail only to be caught again and later shot by FBI agents in Chicago. Today the people of Crown Point struggle with unemployment and the financial, social and emotional difficulties that come with it. It’s here that we have made it a priority to nurture each other in the faith with the help of the Holy Spirit and demonstrate God’s love using words and acts of kindness as we attempt to be sensitive to the spiritual, physical and emotional needs around us.

Most worksites will take place in urban areas of Northwest Indiana and South Chicago. We will be partnering with agencies like Habitat for Humanity, NWI Food Bank, Roseland Christian Ministries and 2nd Like Resale, as well as others.

While urban and global poverty get a lot of attention, rural poverty represents a unique challenge. It is pervasive and destructive to families and communities, and yet many of the resources and networks needed to address the significant issues associated with rural poverty (physical and emotional abuse, substance abuse, etc.) are under-developed, under-funded or non-existent.

The prairie is home to a large number of Native People, who once constituted a diverse representation of social, economic and religious ways of life. In the 1800s a diverse group of European settlers came to this area in search of farmland, establishing communities with ethnic and religious heritage that continue to this day. More recently, immigrants from Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia have also made their home in Northwest Iowa. The economic focus of this area continues to be farming, since the soil here is as rich as the diversity. This is a great place to encounter another aspect of God’s work among the people of the prairie. Participants will stay on the beautiful Dordt College campus.

The hands, hearts and prayers of over 250 students and youth leaders will join with local churches and Trinity Christian College again in 2014 as they seek to advance local outreach by showing the grace and power of Jesus Christ to the community of Palos Heights, Illinois.

This experience will be a great combination of strengths in the body of Christ. Youth groups from across Canada and the United States will bring a strong work ethic and a deep desire to worship in the sanctuary as well as the street through their acts of service.

Participants will stay on the campus of Trinity Christian College and sleep in one of their air-conditioned residence halls.

Each four-person suite has its own bathroom and shower. Buffet-style meals will be served out of the college’s dining hall, and participants will have the opportunity to worship each day with other participants in Trinity’s Ozinga Chapel.

Trinity Christian College has a wonderful campus and many local ministry relationships.

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June 21 – 28 | Grand Rapids, MI LaGrave Church Come help us celebrate the 25th year of Serve at LaGrave Christian Reformed Church. Grand Rapids has been called, “a cool city with warm hospitality.” Here in West Michigan we’re on the cutting edge of art, cuisine and culture, but we also have a distinctive small town feel as people are friendly and the streets are generally safe and clean.

You will have the opportunity to visit the beach at Grand Haven during your trip. While Grand Rapids is a wonderful place to live and visit, it is not wonderful for everyone who lives here. Nearly 16% of the population still lives below the poverty line.

During your stay in Grand Rapids, you will have a chance to minister to these people. LaGrave Christian Reformed Church will be the host during your Serve week. We expect that God is going to move in mighty ways this week, both in the hearts of individuals and in meeting the needs of the community. Come be a part of the change!

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June 21 – 28 | Roselawn, IN

July 5-12 | Ajax, ON

Roselawn is a small rural community with many residents working in the steel mills 25 miles north in Gary, Indiana. Community Church began a ministry in Roselawn over 30 years ago with a Vacation Bible School. Today, Community Church is a growing and thriving young church with people from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Our vision statement reads: “Celebrating Christ; Restoring Community.” We celebrate our relationship with Jesus Christ through God-honoring worship, and we restore community through acts of loving kindness, modeling Christ’s love for us. We are an outreach church totally dedicated to mobilizing the body of Christ to serve our community. When you come to serve here, you’ll join a work already in progress, which will continue long after your week here is over. The hands-on aspect of the work will include many sites dedicated to home repairs in lowincome housing areas and also feeding the hungry from our church food pantry. These opportunities and others will help us continue our relational care in our community.

We are excited to have you join Ajax Serve as we experience and demonstrate the radical, lifechanging love of Jesus Christ in our community. Crossroads Church is an exciting missional ministry in the Greater Toronto area. Crossroads is a non-traditional ministry actively engaged in a diverse and economically challenged community. We are a small but energized church plant that earnestly desires to demonstrate the love of Jesus in our neighborhood.

The public school where we meet is a high-needs school at the foot of five hi-rise apartment buildings, two of which are subsidized housing.

We have adopted the school and its neighborhood as our mission field.

Our motto is to bless the students, staff and families of Bolton C. Falby Public School. Your work here will help both the community and the church experience God at work in a life-impacting way! Our goal is to bless the community where we meet by helping families who need assistance (cleaning, home repairs, gardening), working with the school, and working with community service agencies such as Christian Horizons (special needs housing), Immigrant Support Services, Horizon House (refuge for wives and children), Thrift Store, Food Bank, Community Garden, Fairview Lodge, and Durham Youth Shelter (for homeless teens).

July 5 – 12 | Alamosa, CO

July 5 – 12 | Regina, SK

July 5 – 12 | London, ON

This is the “Land of Cool Sunshine,” 7,600 feet above sea level in Southern Colorado, in the San Luis Valley. We’re surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains that contain peaks over 14,000 feet high. This is a beautiful place to serve others, but it also has some of the poorest counties in the country.

Residents that we enjoy serving need help with housing. The projects that will be tackled during the week include light construction, repair, painting and yard work (to name a few). Our church family and host team are passionate about serving others! The Alamosa Christian Reformed Church has started a group called “Faith In Action,” where we go out into the community and serve others so as to put our faith into action! As a Serve Host Team, we are excited to see young people putting their faith into action! Our worksites will be about helping those residents who need an extra hand because of low income, no income, being handicapped or being elderly.

Saskatchewan is the central of three Canadian Prairie Provinces, agricultural in its southern half and forested in the north. It has a high First Nations (native) population.

Within 20 years, close to half of all Saskatchewan elementary school children will be of native or partnative descent. The aboriginal population, cultural awareness and native social and political influence are all expanding much more rapidly here than in society as a whole. Regina, the capital city of Saskatchewan, is a beautiful city of 200,000 people, and has about 1015% native people. These people are concentrated in the North Central sector of the city (“the hood”), but are also visibly present throughout the city, including the Glencairn area, where Sonlight Church is located. In Sonlight’s children’s ministries, kids we attract from our neighborhood are often of native background. The Sonlight CRC building will be your home away from home as you help us reach our community. Planned work includes light maintenance and painting for the families in need (mostly inner city), leading Vacation Bible School at Indian Metis Christian Fellowship (inner city ministry) and Food Bank Assistance.

London, Ontario is a city of 350,000 people located in the heart of Southwestern Ontario. Although historically a fairly affluent whitecollar city, its focus in the last decade has moved to an economy largely based in the manufacturing sector, and, due to the recent downturn in that economy is currently experiencing the second highest unemployment rate in Ontario. We hope to spend the week working closely with agencies that support the working poor, the disadvantaged and those living at street level, particularly youth. A variety of worksites will be offered, with an emphasis on working with people rather than for people. Work could include painting, building, gardening and minor renovations as well as assisting in and running children’s programs, packing food hampers, assisting in food programs by preparing and serving food and being the light of God in the city of London. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with our street friends, by either serving at “The Mess,” a Wednesday night dinner and art program, or at the Streetlight Bus, a Tuesday and Thursday downtown ministry of food and worship. We will also be working with the local Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and Community Resource Agencies.

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July 12 – 19 | Bellflower, CA

July 12 – 19 | Muskegon, MI

July 12 – 19 | Platte, SD

Welcome to Southern California.

Los Angeles is just 20 minutes from Rosewood CRC in Bellflower, California. We were once a community made up of Dutch dairy farmers but have quickly become a multi-ethnic area with a population that is 45% Hispanic. We have a Spanish service nearly every Sunday and multi-cultural emphases throughout the year. Our church hosts “Summer Family Nights” and a very active food bank, which you will be involved in throughout the week. Light construction, painting, yard work, cleaning for the elderly and less-advantaged families in the community, and service for some local non-profit organizations such as a domestic violence shelter may all be a part of your week. All of the service and light construction for families and non-profits will be focused on relationship building. We want you to hear personal stories of changed lives and learn from those we serve.

If you imagine that the map of Michigan is a hand, we’re located at the base of the little finger.

Our day away will be spent at the beach enjoying the best of what our tourism industry calls Pure Michigan. The workdays will be spent with some great organizations and people who need help in this medium-sized town (population of around 100,000) that has many characteristics of a large city. Some work will involve cleaning up inner city areas. This has a huge impact on the people who live and work there.

You may be doing light construction such as building wheelchair ramps or doing maintenance on homes. There is always stocking to be done at local food pantries, landscaping for the elderly or visiting and caring for people in the nursing home. Work will be largely with communitybased organizations such as Love INC. and Community Encompass, a local transitional housing agency. We look forward to a week in which God will speak into hearts, touch lives in need of his provision and show up in ways we never could have predicted.

Platte, South Dakota is a rural community of 1400 people. You will enjoy our hometown hospitality and our positive attitude. The town motto here is, “Possible in Platte.”

Although we live in a small town, our church gives support to nearly a dozen missionaries that are making an impact for the gospel both locally and globally. This reflects our heart to be a people and a congregation involved in the Great Commission.

Take a break from suburbia (if that’s where you live) and join us for the week as we seek to impact our own community with the love and grace of Jesus Christ. If you have ever wondered about life in a small town, this is the place for you. While you are here, you will be treated like family. When you leave, you will have a greater passion for spreading the gospel.

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July 19 – 26 | Holland, MI Come be a part of our multicultural community of reconciliation, healing and hope! Faith Church is located in the heart of Holland, Michigan—the birthplace of the Christian Reformed Church. Holland is a city that has evolved from a Dutch farming town into a diverse city with many different cultural traditions. Both Cinco de Mayo and Tulip Time take place within a week of each other, giving Holland the opportunity to celebrate both its Dutch and Hispanic cultures. Faith Church finds itself in a perfect location to be an agent of reconciliation in a city that has become increasingly diverse.

Our covenant declares our desire to be a multicultural community where anyone, regardless of ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic class or language, will feel part of our family.

At our Serve Site, you will not only witness what we do, you will also help us live out our vision. Much of the work we do will be at homes of individuals and families that are connected with the Holland Free Health Clinic. Many might also have the opportunity to work with our Hispanic pastor serving children in a local neighborhood. It is our prayer that each job site is primarily relationship-oriented.

July 26 – August 2 | West Des Moines, IA Des Moines is Iowa’s largest city (metro population around 500,000) and also the capital. Our church, Crossroads CRC, is located in the western suburb, which made Money Magazine’s Top 100 list a couple years ago for best places to live and launch a business. The fruit of prosperity is not the same as the fruit of the Spirit, however.

Just because a suburb is wealthy economically does not mean all its people have what they need or that poverty has been stamped out.

We live, work and worship among those that have abundance and those that have great physical and financial need. Our church is a short drive from downtown Des Moines where we will do a majority of our work. Our work will range from light construction work to painting a house to partnering with local ministries such as Hope Ministries.

Come help us be the hands and feet of Christ in our community. You will have opportunities to foster a servant spirit and learn more about God’s call on your life.

TBD | Austin, TX Deep in the heart of Texas, Austin is one of the best places to visit in the U.S. It’s known as the Live Music Capital of the World and has quirky shops and eclectic restaurants. Some areas of the city feel like a backyard music party and barbecue are going on all year long. Within the city limits you can experience the largest natural, spring-fed swimming pool in any urban setting. One promotional slogan for tourism says, “You may come here a stranger but you’ll leave as family.” Austin is a unique city that you will enjoy, but our problems are more than common. There is lots of poverty, homelessness and class discrimination. Can you imagine being on the streets of a city, feeling rejected and hopeless, and hearing a slogan like, “You may come here a stranger but you’ll leave as family”? Our church is impacting a community that is high-risk and includes a large homeless student population. At Sunrise Church you can be involved in soup kitchens, caring for the homeless, lawn care, park cleanup, home repair and maintenance, missional children’s ministry, on-site Vacation Bible School and more.

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TBD | Bradenton, FL Located just south of the Tampa Bay area in Manatee County, Bradenton is a fabulous place to explore art and historical attractions, have fun in the sun, enjoy the beach and go on all types of water and boating adventures.

However, despite God’s bounty of beauty in our county, there is a high percentage of families that are homeless or nearly homeless. Our church is seeking to make an impact on our local public elementary school district by helping to make minor repairs and increase the curb appeal of area homes, giving owners pride in their homes and their communities, while beginning what we hope is a long relationship with these families and their neighbors. Working with Habitat for Humanity, your main focus will be on doing minor repairs and painting and landscaping within our local elementary school district. Students will have the opportunity to meet homeowners and their families and share stories and testimonies.

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TBD | Byron Center, MI Middle School

TBD | (Fairfax, VA) Washington, D.C.

You’ll get to experience the best of both the city and the country in Byron Center. We’re close to rolling farmlands and to the thriving metropolitan area of Grand Rapids.

This gives us a unique perspective on the needs of people who come from various backgrounds. Our goal is to meet the needs of people in our community as we harness the energy and potential of middle school students willing to work hard, make an impact and have a whole lot of fun. We do painting, landscaping and inside and outside cleanup around the Byron Center area. We work with a couple of area ministries to help us find our job sites. We also work with a local food pantry and a few other organizations in Grand Rapids. We can’t wait to meet you, and look forward to the things we will all learn together during this exciting week of service. God will surely do great things among us.

It is an eye-opening experience to be in the U.S. capital and drive past the White House, then pull up at a shelter and soup kitchen two minutes later. What extremes there are in our society! In Washington, D.C. you can be near influential leaders who literally believe they can change the world and among persons on the street who feel they haven’t got a prayer. Both are in need of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. You will have the opportunity to serve at a variety of worksites, including soup kitchens, halfway houses, painting projects and yard work. We have one worksite where we make sandwiches during the day, and then the group goes out in a van about 5:30 PM and ladles soup and gives sandwiches to the homeless people that line up at different delivery points throughout the city. Most of your service will take place in inner Washington, D.C. Come prepared for a new experience that you won’t forget!

TBD | Grand Rapids, MI Brookside Church Welcome to Grand Rapids, home to five of the largest office furniture manufacturers in the world.

Nicknamed the Furniture City, another claim to fame is that Grand Rapids was the hometown of former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford. While there is affluence and an expanding health care hub on our Medical Mile, the sad fact is that nearly 16% of our population falls below the poverty line. Nearly 20% of those in poverty are under the age of 18. The Brookside Serve Site will provide you with the opportunity to grow in your faith while you serve this poorer side of the community. We’ve coordinated meaningful work with a number of organizations in town as well as through our own deacons.

We will be hosting a mobile food pantry at Brookside one evening where we’ll hand out 10,000 pounds of food in one hour! You’ll also have tons of fun with games, activities and a few surprises throughout the week. Teams will enjoy a variety of work. Tasks typically include painting, cleanup, light construction and repair, distributing food, landscaping, working with students at a youth home and more.

TBD | Hamilton, ON

TBD | Houston, TX

Welcome to Hamilton, Ontario, the city of waterfalls, located along the Niagara Escarpment on the western shores of Lake Ontario.

Hamilton is also home to the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the Bruce Trail, McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer University College. The Canadian Football Hall of Fame can be found downtown right beside Hamilton City Hall, and across town to the east, the Canadian Football League‘s Hamilton Tiger-Cats play at Ivor Wynne Stadium. Hamilton is just a one-hour drive away from the world-famous Niagara Falls. You may be involved with park cleanup in the city centre and beachfront of Lake Ontario, assist urban youth ministries and homeless shelters in Hamilton’s city core (CityKidz, Living Rock, Mission Services, Good Samaritan Ministry, L’Arche Hamilton) as well as participate in multiple landscaping projects throughout the area. During your Serve experience in Hamilton, you will impact the lives of others, even as they impact you.

Our church is sandwiched between the low-income Houston outskirts and the white-collar Woodlands, TX. New Life is very involved in community outreach, participating in ministries that work with adults with special needs and helping out in lowincome neighborhoods, while also supporting a sister church in Nepal.

We believe in coming alongside people in ministry and empowering them to make a sustainable change in their community and beyond.

We will mostly be working in conjunction with our church ministry, Old Town Spring Heights Task Force (located 20 minutes north of Houston, TX), which is a group of five area churches working together to make an impact for Christ. The five churches are all different in ethnicity, culture and denomination, but we worship the same LORD and are continually blessed and uplifted through relationships that are being made and deepened within the community of Old Town Spring Heights. Participants will be helping the community through home improvement projects, community beautification and the development of a community learning center.

*Committed Serve Sites without dates in alphabetical order.

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TBD | Minnesota West, MN

TBD | Peterborough, ON

TBD | Sioux Falls, SD

Hailing from the plains of Minnesota, we would love to welcome you to our small town with farm friendly hospitality!

You can help us as we reach out to our surrounding neighbors in the communities of Renville, Clara City, Willmar, Raymond and Prinsburg.

Our vision is to partner with local churches in showing Christ’s love to the people we may drive past every day, but who do not know about the hope offered in the gospel of Jesus Christ! We plan to have local churches each find two or three families with physical needs that can be addressed by Serve. We also hope that the relationships established between families and churches will continue beyond the week of Serve and not just meet their physical needs but their spiritual needs as well. We will be working with local churches in the surrounding communities to help families or individuals with homes in need of paint, lawn care and other small construction projects. Other ministries we may partner with include Hope Pregnancy Center, Habitat for Humanity and shelter houses for men and women.

Peterborough is an hour and a half east-north-east of Toronto and is so full of rivers and lakes that it is a kind of “cottaging” grand central. We have the largest lift lock in the world, free concerts in a downtown park every week and are home to Fleming College and Trent University.

We’re also blessed to have extraordinary church unity lived out in over a dozen denominations in Peterborough through Church in the City. We pray together, work together and live the gospel together!

However, we also have a very large homeless population here, so our work isn’t done yet. We can’t wait for you to come and experience unity in the body of Christ and help us reach the community God has given us.

We’ll be helping in food and clothing banks (Good Neighbour Care Centre, Kawartha Food Share). We’ll also pitch in with ministries that serve our at-risk, street level population (St. John’s Anglican Church, Brock Mission, Cameron House). We will also be engaging the global issue of human trafficking and raising funds to free a slave through the work of the International Justice Mission.

As the largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls offers a welcoming atmosphere and big city entertainment with a small-town feel. We have a large immigrant and Native American population, and you will have many opportunities to work with them and for them.

We will be working with many ministry organizations in Sioux Falls that minister to the needs of many immigrant and refugee families in our community. Our worksites will include painting, landscaping, food prep and delivery, wheelchair repair, packing backpacks for young children and other various projects.

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Youth Unlimited has created a Digital Resource Box for your Serve experience. Our hope is that it will be like having a friend come alongside you to offer assistance as you prepare for your faithforming experience. There are four, easy-to-use categories with downloads that will make planning your summer experience even better: Promotions, Registration, Leader Helps and Pre- and Post-Trip Resources.

Leader Helps

Registration

Promotions

Pre- & Post-Trip

• Leaders’ Meeting

• Planning Calendar

• Student Letter

• Adult Responsibilities

• How to Register

• Parent Letter

• Steps to Create Lasting Impact

• Serving Safely Guide

• Scholarship Form

• Serve Invite Card

• Small Group Guide

• Student Handbook

• Serve Posters

• Preparing Your Group

• Leader Handbook

• Social Media

• And more...

• And more...

• And more...

• Pre- and Post-Trip Teaching Ideas • Theme Summary • Commissioning Litany • And more ...

VISIT US ONLINE TODAY TO FIND OUT MORE: youthunlimited.org/serve/resource-box youthunlimited.org | 31

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COURAGE

to think deeply to act justly to live fully

“

To be a Christian intellectual is to not be afraid ... is to be able to ask the hard questions— and to engage the questions and critically study things.

Daniel Camacho ’13 philosophy major

You’re onto something, a new idea. For diabetes treatment, for education reform, for the way we build our cities, for ending poverty. The only way to make your idea a reality is to test it, change it, share it. It takes courage to do that, something you’ll build in every class, every late-night conversation—every moment you spend at Calvin.

Explore what it means to think deeply, act justly and live fully at www.calvin.edu/go/courage.

www.calvin.edu Calvin College admits students of any race, color and national or ethnic origin.

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