FALL 2015 ISSUE
YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG
2015
YOUTHUNLIMITED STUDENTS | CHURCHES | FAITH-FORMING EXPERIENCES ALSO INSIDE:
H O W TO P L A N A M I S S I O N S T R I P
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WHY USE YOUTH UNLIMITED?
F R O M A M A Z I N G TO O R D I N A R Y
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SERVE 2016
LET’S CONNECT 616.241.5616 | YU@YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG | YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG
facebook.com/YouthUnlimited twitter.com/yuorg pinterest.com/youthunlimited youtube.com/videoYU vimeo.com/youthunlimited
2 | Fall 2015
Contents it’s time to fill up the scholarship fund! .. ........ pg. 2 OPENING NOTE: letter from the executive director........... pg. 3 FACES OF YOUTH UNLIMITED ............................................. pg. 4 how to plan a missions trip .. ...................................... pg. 6 why use Youth Unlimited? ........................................... pg. 8 STAFF PICKS.. ......................................................................... pg. 9 From amazing to ordinary . . ....................................... pg. 10 Serve 2015 Pictures ..................................................... pg. 12 SERVE 2016 ......................................................................... pg. 16
YOUTH UNLIMITED | Fall 2015 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 | SDPcreative Contributing Writers | Amanda Roozeboom and the Youth
Unlimited Staff
Cover Photo Credit | Various Live It and Serve teams Editor | Mandi Grasmeyer USA | Postmaster, please send undeliverable copies and address changes to:
Youth Unlimited 1333 Alger Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507
Canada | Canada Post International Sales Agreement #41124116. Please send undeliverable copies and address changes to:
How to Plan a Missions Trip: Changing the Thought from “Where to Go?” to “Let’s Make Disciples” –Page 6
Youth Unlimited PO Box 1100 Norwich, ON N0J 1P0
THE YOUTH UNLIMITED TEAM: Executive Director:
Jeff Kruithof 616.241.5616 ext. 3043 jeff@youthunlimited.org
Missions Director:
Jerry Meadows 616.241.5616 ext. 3040 jerry@youthunlimited.org
Program Coordinator:
Why use Youth Unlimited Serve mission experiences? –Page 8
Alesha Schut 616.241.5616 ext. 3038 alesha@youthunlimited.org
Communications & Finance Administrator: Mandi Grasmeyer 616.241.5616 ext. 3046 mandi@youthunlimited.org
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it’s time to…
the
fill uP scholarship
fund!
While we celebrate having been able to give away $50,000 in scholarships over the past four years to help students experience the love of Jesus through one of our events, we need your help to continue our work. We know the single most important thing that can happen in a student’s life is that they form a lifelong relationship and commitment to Jesus Christ. After decades of doing youth ministry alongside churches, we know that Youth Unlimited experiences like Serve and Live It are often where students discover God’s love for them for the first time. Can you help us refill our scholarship fund and ensure that money never becomes the hurdle keeping a student from attending a Youth Unlimited experience?
Please take this opportunity today to give a gift that will help to further the efforts or our ministry partnership. Jeff Kruithof, Executive Director Donate online at youthunlimited.org/donations or by sending a check to the address below: IN THE US: Youth Unlimited | 1333 Alger St. SE | Grand Rapids, MI 49507 IN CANADA: Youth Unlimited | PO Box 1100 | Norwich, ON N0J 1 P0
TO FOLLOW US AND SEE WHAT YOUR DONATION IS DOING AT YOUTH UNLIMITED, BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR MONTHLY
E-NEWSLETTER
AT YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG.
2 |SPRING 2015
opening note:
Students, Churches,
Faith-Forming Experiences
W
OW … where did that year go? With each passing year, I am forced to admit that my parents were right when they said, “the older you get the faster time flies”! As we step into a new church ministry year, I’m praying God has refueled your passion for him and the students in your church and community! It is critical you have those in the right order—passion for Christ and then a passion for students. If those are in the reverse order, you will be ministering to students from your own strength and come this winter, you will be worn out, with a passion that went from a roaring fire to a few remaining embers. So please, start this year by investing in your relationship with Christ. Our team has been working hard the past several months, preparing for the upcoming church year. We, again, have over 30 churches hosting Serve. The majority will be for high school age youth groups, but we will also have middle school and special needs sites too! This past summer we assisted churches in a new way, customizing the Serve
experience for those that maybe needed a shorter experience or the ability to broaden the age group to include younger and older participants. We’re glad to have been able to better serve churches in that way, and we look forward to continuing to meet the needs of more churches next summer as well. The speakers and devotional material at each of our experiences next summer will be taking the students into the book of Mark, enabling students to encounter the person of Jesus Christ in very real ways during their time at Serve. Held in tandem with their ministry of service, relationships with peers and mentoring from small group leaders, this curriculum will allow students of all places in the walk of faith to meet more fully a Savior who humbly came to serve so that his love would be poured out for us! As you begin making plans to get this ministry year kicked off, please remember that we are here for you! Our ministry exists to further the Kingdom with students, churches and faithforming experiences, and we would welcome the opportunity to assist you in any way we can. So, whether you are in Canada or America or from somewhere
between the east coast and west coast, we are here for you. Humbled to serve you in ministry,
Jeff Kruithof Executive Director Youth Unlimited P.S. Youth Unlimited was blessed this summer to watch the Holy Spirit work in the lives of so many students through Serve and Live It! To read those stories and testimonies and see pictures, be sure to check out our blog, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
JEFF KRUITHOF has 18 years of experience in non-profit leadership and a love for God’s work through the local church.
please remember that we are here for you!
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FACES OF YOUTH UNLIMITED BRIAN BIERENGA Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why? Starbucks – because the students enjoy it and I’m a sucker for earning those “stars.” Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth? It’s all about relationship. While I appreciate the “heart” behind this question and understand that it’s a common question among youth workers, I find it a little strange. I have two kids of my own, ages 7 and 9, and I would find it strange if someone asked me how I remain relevant to them. Although there’s always room for improvement, I think most parents would say they’re able to connect well with their own kids because they’re in relationship with them. The same applies with my students; I aim to always be in relationship with them as if they were my own kids so that the connection happens naturally. Q. I never leave for youth group without my …
Pixar stories, Ed has great ideas on intentionally creating the culture you want among your team. Q. What do you do in your free time? I enjoy time with my kids, running, cooking or working on my yard or car. I don’t sit still very well.
JOHN BIJL Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning? I would either be grocery shopping with my wife, doing weekend chores around the house or having breakfast at a local restaurant. I love going out for breakfast. Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why? I love to meet at local coffee shops because I love the atmosphere in these places and even though coffee shops can be busy, it is still a great place to relax and get to know where the students are at. Q. I never leave for youth group without my …
Q. What is one website you visit every day? I usually go to flipbook to read up on men’s health, health food or photography.
ZAN INGALLS Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth? Having three children, ages 20, 18 and 15, keeps me relevant. I get to learn the lingo of the day. Also, working at a juvenile detention center with ages 13-19 gives me a definite inside scoop. I listen to their music and watch their shows and have open, candid dialogue with them. I intentionally ask them questions about why they do what they do, why they think like they think and what their motivation is. I have literally asked them what I can do to impact their peers. Their responses have shaped how I deal with the youth of the day. Q. I never leave for youth group without my …
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
iPad, which has all of my notes for announcements as well as my Bible. Once, I did leave it in the youth room while I got something from my office and I came back to a series of “selfies” some of the students had done in the five minutes I was gone.
I regularly listen to the “Defining Moments” leadership podcasts from Willow Creek when I run. I’m also enjoying the book Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull (head of Pixar and Disney animation) much more than I thought I would. In addition to some great
Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser?
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
We did an 80’s themed dessert night where the other leaders and I lip synced to a mash up of 80’s tunes. I was lip syncing Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night,” and yes, there is a video of it.
Purpose Driven Youth Ministry and Soaring with Eagles have inspired me. These books have blessed me to open my mind and perspective as to how to be a blessing to this generation.
CB radios for the vans because they’re tons of fun. And a can of Febreze to secretly freshen up the guys’ stinky laundry piles while they’re away on free time.
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ability to be flexible. I plan what I am going to say, and in some cases send the “planned” talk ahead. Sometimes what I’ve planned gives way to what God plans. In youth ministry (and ministry in general), nothing can shock you!
Zan
Brian
Devin & Gaby
John Q. What do you do in your free time? I like bowling, playing in the water (beach or pool), roller coaster rides, spending time with family, watching a good movie, cooking and trying new restaurants with Liane. I have also written two books and am working on a third. Q. Where would you like to travel someday? I would love to go to Africa.
DEVIN AND GABY MULDER Q. If your students described you in five words or less, what would they say? That’s easy! “Devin and Gaby are crazy!” We hear this just about every week, but they continue to come and bring their friends, so we assume it’s a positive thing. Q. What do you do in your free time? In the little free time we have, I love to sew clothes for myself and Devin engineers tall bikes (a double-frame bike that sits five feet tall). Q. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a youth group fundraiser? Our craziest youth ministry fundraiser is the Chili Cook-Off Dinner and Auction, which raises funds for sending kids to Serve. Directing 40+ teens while trying to put on a nice dinner for the congregation usually feels like being at a zoo where they’ve opened all the cages! Even in the
chaos, it ends up being one of the best fundraisers of the year and the teens always work really hard to make the event a hit.
want to plan a trip to witness the seeds he has sown in that country.
Q. Where would you like to travel someday?
If I’m being totally honest, Pinterest has me tied around its finger. I’ll usually look at Pinterest more often than my emails. Devin enjoys passing time with a good laugh, so he usually watches comedic videos on YouTube.
Q. What is one website you visit every day?
We’ve both had the privilege of traveling around the world, so our next dream visit would be to Nepal. It sounds a little cliché right now since everyone is going to help with earthquake trauma (which is totally valid), but Devin’s best friend has taken several mission trips there and is now moving to Nepal long term. We
Let us know if you’d like to be interviewed for a future issue of the Youth Unlimited Magazine at interview@youthunlimited.org
BLOG Are you keeping up with Youth Unlimited? Be sure to check out the Youth Unlimited blog to read up on powerful testimonies, get the latest Youth Unlimited updates and share youth ministry ideas. Want to contribute to the blog? Contact us at blog@youthunlimited.org with your testimony, idea or story to be featured on the blog. We are always looking for featured writers.
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How to Plan a Missions Trip Changing the Thought from “Where to Go?” to “Let’s Make Disciples”
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hen thinking about mission trips, don’t get caught in the short-sited thinking of just planning a trip. Start with your heart to disciple your students in missional living that lasts a lifetime. Add to that your desire to serve and submit to the host church or ministry and consider the standards of excellence (see soe.org). As you ponder the trip being one aspect of discipleship, consider these things: A progression: How can your students plug into the existing community outreach of your church or help advance it? What experiences will teach your students how to minister in their own back yard? How can they see the strengths and needs of your 6 | Fall 2015
own community? Consider planning a mission trip this summer that will help expand their understanding of how God works through churches to reach a community. Then, build toward that trip with some late winter and spring service projects in your own backyard. Plan to go back to those service projects in August – October to follow up relationally and perhaps continue through the rest of the school year. A rhythm: You might consider a very local mission trip for your students in middle school, then a regional one for grades 9 and 10 and a longer distance trip for your older students. Or, keep them all together and go local, regional and long distance progressively. You do not have to leave the country to learn about another culture. No matter where you live you can find first/second generation immigrants or possibly first nation people groups to learn from and serve with. In fact, Youth Unlimited has some customizable sites that include cross-cultural learning. Your teaching: Your mission trip and service projects are like fence posts. They won’t do much good without the rails of ongoing mentoring relationships (in missional living) and solid week-
to-week bible teaching. Add into your curriculum Bible content on missions, missional living and stories of those who live life on mission. The Youth Unlimited Resource Box has suggested pre- and post-trip teaching sessions. Talk about or even bring in and interview the business leader who sees their career as missions or the pregnancy center director or the prayer warrior for your missionaries, etc. For more help on planning a specific trip feel free to call our Mission Director, Jerry Meadows. He has extensive experience and resources in student missions and mission trips, both domestic and international.
For more on discipling students in missional living, download a free book called “Leading Our Students Into Messy Missional Living” from youthunlimited.org/ downloads.
6 Helpful Tips If you’re planning a trip and are planning to come to Youth Unlimited’s Serve, keep in mind: 1. The Resource Box is full of great helps. Check into it before you even start promoting. There is a planning time line, a parents’ letter, pastors’ letter and promotional items to help you cast the vision. 2. Check dates with parents early in the process. Even before October 1, begin asking parents if they have a family vacation planned or know of camps/activities in the summer you should plan around. Don’t just ask the students to ask their parents. Go to the parents directly. This gives you a good contact with them and avoids miscommunication. 3. Consider distance and destination. How far do you want to travel? Will a long road trip build your group unity for the rest of the year? Does it fit the budget? How does the host church/ community fit into the progression or rhythm of your mission strategy? Are you looking to move your students outside their typical environment (rural, urban, suburban, ethnicity, etc.) or teach them how others in a very similar environment love their community? 4. Budget carefully. If you do not have a budget worksheet for your mission trips, ask your church treasurer to help you create one or call a youth ministry veteran. This is essential to your planning and fund raising. Raising funds is an important work of missions. 5. Raise prayer support as well. Every summer there are over 1,500 students and youth leaders who go on Serve, and we estimate there are more than 5,000 adults who support them in prayer. You might even put your vision, the intended outcomes and a bit about your team and your Host Church in your church bulletin before and after your trip. 6. Plan your post-trip process in three parts: debrief, follow up and follow through. This will help students understand what they think and how they feel about the trip and also help them integrate what they learned during the trip into their everyday life. See the Serve Post-Trip Plan in the Resource Box for this process.
Youth Unlimited offers 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 faith-forming 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. YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG/SERVE/RESOURCE-BOX/ youthunlimited.org | 7
whyuseyu? Life Changing The single most important thing that can happen in a student’s life is that they form a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ and commit to living for him. In a world so full of noise and distractions, Youth Unlimited’s Serve mission experiences are incredibly effective at creating the space for students to encounter Jesus. We have testimony after testimony from students saying their Serve experience was the moment in time when they first came to understand Jesus’ love, grace and desire for a personal relationship. Because these experiences can be such an integral point in a student’s life, Youth Unlimited is committed to having the following values as essential components of every one of our experiences: worship, reading scripture, introducing students to our broken world that needs Jesus, serving in the name of Jesus, fostering healthy adult/ student relationships and encouraging students to live their life for Jesus. In order to make this happen, Youth Unlimited works with a team—the Serve mission experience is not created in some office and then packaged and sent to 30 different host sites across Canada and the United States. Each Serve Site is created and led by a planning team of volunteers who live, 8 | Fall 2015
worship, work and raise their families in the community you will be serving.
Prepared & Organized Each planning team is trained and equipped by the Youth Unlimited staff, and each February, all of the teams come together to be trained, share best practices, network and worship together. During this weekend, there is also a lot of celebration for what God has done over the past year and lively discussion about the coming year! Many of our planning teams have been hosting Serve for years. From the lessons learned over 25 years of offering Serve and the sharing of best practices by all the planning teams, every site is well prepared and organized. From the speakers, worship teams, community life, food and meaningful worksites, we will provide a great experience for you and your students!
Intentional Each Serve Site also uses and teaches from the same theme and devotional material. The 2016 material was written by the next generation of church leaders, students from Calvin Theological Seminary. To ensure it connected with students, they tested it by teaching it to a church youth group and then adjusted it according to how it connected with them. The material
Why use Youth Unlimited Serve mission experiences? focuses on Mark’s Gospel, allowing students to see how Jesus Christ, walking through everyday life, identified in people and communities both the hurtful bruises this world has left on them and the incredible image of God in them and how they can do the same in their lives.
Customizable If you feel your group could better benefit from the Serve experience in a different way (i.e. for larger groups, those looking to build their own group dynamic, those planning a multi-generational trip or any others in a unique situation), customizing Serve gives you the chance to work with Youth Unlimited and the Host Church to help set dates, modify the schedule, lead your own worship sessions, etc. while Youth Unlimited supplies the key values found in all of our faith-forming experiences.
What does a Serve day look like? 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:45 AM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM
Breakfast/Prepare Lunches Devotions Leave for Worksites Showers/Free Time Dinner Evening Session Small Group Discussion Snack and Free Time Lights Out
YO U T H U N L I M I T E D STA F F P I C KS Experiencing God: How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and Doing the Will of God
Scary Close Book by Donald Miller
Reading Scary Close felt more like a conversation than a memoir. It is honest and insightful. It’s a book that has challenged me to pursue relationships with deep authenticity and vulnerability. Miller’s words have reminded me of the strength and intentionality it takes to be yourself; but also of the freedom when we can be who God created us to be. He says, “It costs personal fear to be authentic but the reward is integrity, and by that I mean a soul fully integrated, no difference between his act and his actual person. Having integrity is about being the same person on the inside that we are on the outside, and if we don’t have integrity, life becomes exhausting.” I don’t want to end my days exhausted but fueled by the knowledge and truth that I lived with integrity to who God created me to be. –Alesha
Poetic Youth Ministry Book by Jason Lief
When I asked Jason Lief about the core message of his new book he responded with, “I absolutely love the Church and attending church!” Then he talked briefly about the positive impact of liturgy. He went on to say that the core message is one of hope and confidence in Christ’s ability to bring young people to himself. Jason exuded confidence that God will use congregations to do that—if our fear and insecurity doesn’t get in the way. This is refreshing to me. We can be confident that God is working in the next generation and Christ will bring students to himself. We can be so confident in the grace of God and the gospel that we can lead with more freedom and not so much fear. We can loosen our grip and work to understand how God is working differently in and through students than he did in previous generations. We can trust students—and, more—we can trust Christ with them. –Jerry
Mandi Alesha
Jerry
Jeff
Book by Henry Blackaby
Have you ever tried to discern God’s will and plan for your life, ministry or calling? I sure have, which drew me back to reading this book. In Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby shares some great insights and reminders that have helped me like: “When your love relationship with God is right, He will be free to begin giving you assignments at His initiative. Whenever you do not seem to be receiving assignments from God, focus on the love relationship and stay there until the assignment comes.” Or, “In our day God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. He uses the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church (other believers). No one of these methods of God’s speaking is, by itself, a clear indicator of God’s directions. But when God says the same thing through each of these ways you can have confidence to proceed.” –Jeff
ChristianQuotes.info Website
I’m a collector of words. When I hear someone say something good or when I read something good, I frantically look for a paper and pen to write down that “something good” so I can reread it time and time again until it becomes a part of who I am. Growing up, my parents let me write on the walls of my bedroom in permanent marker and now, when I go back and see those walls, I’m reminded of the words, phrases, verses and lyrics that impacted those years of my life. To this day, I surround myself with little scraps of paper, home décor, digital notes and so on that hold the “something goods” I come across. As James Allen once said, “The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart—this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” For that reason, I will continue to collect the something goods in hopes that I, too, can become something good, which is why I’ve subscribed to ChristianQuotes.info. With this subscription, I receive an email each day with a great quote, a picture and a link to a correlating devotional. Many of the quotes I’ve received have been added to my collection of something goods and even posted on the Youth Unlimited Facebook page too! –Mandi If you have a book, blog, website, music or anything that you would like us to check out, let us know at reviews@youthunlimited.org.
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from
Amazing
to Ordinary BY AMANDA ROOZEBOOM
M
any of our students and those of us in the youth ministry field spent time this summer on a service trip. These weeks are almost always amazing. After experiencing a week of living, serving, eating and worshiping together in Christian community, in true unity with God and others, we often discover that we want to live that way every day. When we get home, panic sets in, and we begin asking ourselves, “What now?” If you are asking that question, here are three things you can do …
Remember What God Has Done When Moses would have encounters with God, he would come down from the mountain and his face would literally shine with the Glory of God. (Exodus 34:29-35). When we return from trips, camps, retreats, etc., our faces shine too, but eventually the shine fades. Here’s the challenge; don’t forget about what God has done. Don’t settle back into your old life before the shine. In the Old Testament there are many examples of people building an altar, not for worship, but to preserve a memory. These altars were usually just a pile of uncarved rocks, but they served as a reminder that God had been present in their lives, working for their good. (Exodus 17:15, Joshua 4, 1 Samuel 7:12). While random piles of rocks aren’t so 10 | Fall 2015
practical today, you too can set out a reminder of what God has done in your life. Hang a picture on your wall, post a key scripture verse on your mirror or in your locker or keep a journal of gratitude or daily God-sightings.
Continue Building Relationships Often what makes our service weeks so amazing is that all our focus is on maintaining a right relationship with God and right relationships with others. After you return home from your mountaintop experience with God, continue to turn off your cell phone, fast from Social Media, read scripture and pray. Continue to talk to your friends and neighbors not just about sports, music and movies, but about the ways God is showing up in your life, teaching, shaping and encouraging you. Continue to step out of your comfort zone and say hello to a stranger! Continue the hard work of taking risks when you are home again.
Find Satisfaction in the Ordinary We often look for God in the big moments of our lives, but God is involved in every moment of our lives, especially our ordinary moments. Scripture is filled with stories of people who daily focused on a personal commitment to God. Noah built an ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet
“Often what makes our service weeks so amazing is that all our focus is on maintaining a right relationship with God and right relationships with others.” high. (That’s one and a half football fields long and four stories high). That’s not a weekend project. That took faithfulness and obedience. Jeremiah, the prophet, ministered under five kings faithfully speaking warnings to the people of Judah for 40 years. Daniel and Esther quietly and humbly served in king’s courts for years before their faithful commitment to God thrust them into the spotlight. Your students and you will quickly learn that living for God at home is messy. It’s hard and transformation doesn’t happen overnight. But remember, God is faithful: what he has done in the past, he can do in the present. God can make even your ordinary weeks amazing!
a Christian University in Hamilton, ontario Redeemer’s academic program has allowed me to explore both Music and Biology – the passions that God has gifted me. Paul Naphtali Mississauga, ON
This fall, Paul will begin graduate studies in Pharmacology at the University of Toronto
Read moRe at
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2016 YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG/SERVE
SHORT-TERM MISSION TRIPS 30+ SITES ACROSS CANADA AND USA L oc at ions and dates ava i l a b le o n l i n e YOUTHUNLIMITED.ORG
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2016 What is Serve? Serve is a five to seven-day mission trip that sends middle or high school age students out to care for and restore their world in an environment where they’ll encounter the concepts of justice and missional living. More than just a short trip, Serve is a faith-forming experience where the communities, congregations and students involved all experience lasting transformation. Students on Serve participate in revitalizing communities, showing compassion for the marginalized, caring for creation, providing recreation for children, performing acts of kindness and sharing the gospel. Serve is all about joining with God and a local congregation in the renewal of all things.
CUSTOM OPTIONS For larger groups, those looking to build their own group dynamic, those planning a multi-generational trip or any others in a unique situation, customizing Serve gives youth leaders the chance to set dates, modify the schedule, lead their own worship sessions, etc. while Youth Unlimited supplies the key values found in all of our faithforming experiences. “Talk about God sightings in ministry and life! Customizing a Serve experience was an answer to prayer. Our situation this year was very frustrating until we connected with the Youth Unlimited office. We were having trouble finding a summer mission opportunity because so many students are committed to sports. There was only one week at the end of July that would work. Youth Unlimited not only had a Host Church that could work with our limited schedule but also knew another youth group in our area already interested. The bottom line is this custom Serve experience will fit our group. No, actually, it was made to fit for our group.” –Dane Buren, Sheldon, Iowa
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2016 Serve testimonies... Each Serve week is a life changing experience. I speak at three or more Serves every summer and God makes each week truly unique and life changing. This year’s theme provoked deep, theological thinking in the students and causes one to really take a close look at their relationship with God. The students got so excited about the real work and the relationships in the community. The leaders helped create a memorable experience. I love seeing churches pull together to share the Gospel. –Pastor Zan, Serve Speaker As parents of teenagers who have been on several different Serve sites, we are so thankful for the faith forming experience. We had hoped and expected it would positively impact our children and it definitely has. More than that, we’ve come to realize how beneficial Serve is for the Host Church. This experience really is a Kingdom builder! –Parents of a Serve Participant Our church set a vision to be immersed in our community—to be community. But we weren’t sure how to do that. Hosting Serve gave us some of the next steps and gave our congregation momentum. –Host Church “Serve … What an amazing time away from routine where God was present in every minute of everyday, all week long. Thank you so much to all the volunteers who made meals and kept us energized to be the hands of God for the people in the community. I’m so deeply grateful to have met all the youth, leaders, and host team … It would be an amazing blessing to see you all again next summer.” –Nathan, Student “This year’s youth group trip to towns in Northwest Iowa was a humbling experience for me. To see the grateful faces of the many people we helped was eye-opening. It just goes to show that every small helpful action can have an impact on someone’s life. This trip helped me realize that there are not only problems in places thousands of miles away, but that there are empty, longing hearts wanting to be filled right here in the community.” –Abbey, Student
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Serve Sites
2016 S
erve Sites are a five to seven day mission experience hosted by a local church that requests 40-100 students from four or more Sending Churches to help with their community outreach and revitalization. Austin, Texas Customizable spring break dates & flexible summer dates. Deep in the heart of Texas, Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World” and has quirky shops and eclectic restaurants, but there is also lots of poverty, homelessness and class discrimination. Work alongside Sunrise Church to impact this community and learn how to love your own community and see others in the image of God.
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Bellflower, California Los Angeles is just 20 minutes from Rosewood CRC in Bellflower, California. Once a community made up of Dutch dairy farmers, it quickly became a multi-ethnic area with a population that is now 45% Hispanic. Nearly every Sunday Rosewood CRC has a Spanish service and throughout the year has a very strong multi-cultural emphasis. This includes “Summer Family Nights” and a very active food bank, which your group will be involved in throughout Serve. Brighton, Ontario Drive through this community and you’ll see at least three things Fellowship CRC is passionate about: students, senior citizens and military families. Brighton, a quiet, clean and friendly small town is largely considered a retirement community. Still there is a great work to be done for Brighton’s youth. Work
alongside at a drop-in centre for local youth or with New Life Girls Home, a Christian home for young women who struggle with many different life issues. Burlington, Ontario Nestled between the western shores of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment, Burlington is consistently voted one of the best places to live. Even with that, there are many hidden needs in the city that God is still revealing. Seek to experience the transformational love of Christ in Burlington by bringing hope and healing through being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Dates and more information can be found at youthunlimited.org
Byron Center, Michigan (Middle School) Close to the thriving metropolitan area of Grand Rapids and the rolling hills out in the country, this site gives a unique perspective on the needs of people who come from various backgrounds. Middle School students will love the variety of work and meeting students from Canada and the United States. Crown Point, Indiana The people of Northwest Indiana and South Chicago struggle with unemployment and the financial, social and emotional difficulties that come with it. It’s here that First CRC has made it a priority to nurture each other in the faith with the help of the Holy Spirit and to demonstrate God’s love to the inner city areas using words and acts of kindness. The church partners with agencies like Habitat for Humanity, NWI Food Bank, Roseland Christian Ministries and 2nd Like Resale, as well as others. Edmonton, Alberta God has worked in great ways to lead a Host Team from various churches in this province to care for and serve neighborhoods. In 2014, High River Serve cared for a community that had been flooded. In 2015, Serve the Avenue students and youth leaders learned from church planters and established churches how to help reconcile a neighborhood with the gospel. The Host Team is discerning where to serve in 2016 and 2017. Please contact the Youth Unlimited office and watch the website for more information. Fruitland, Ontario (Special Needs) Located in a rural part of Hamilton, this site is a short distance to many highlight spots, including Niagara Falls and Toronto. Fruitland CRC has many members that volunteer their time to various community outreach programs.
You’ll be working in ministry minded thrift stores, walk-in shelters and various other agencies all located in Hamilton and the surrounding areas. Gallatin Valley, Montana Designated as an area for intertribal peace and serenity, Gallatin Valley’s beauty speaks for itself, but the people of Yellowstone’s gateway often get overlooked. With worksites in the urban center of Bozeman along with the smaller towns of Manhattan, Churchill, Belgrade and Gallatin Gateway, come make a broad impact amongst a diverse group of Montanans. Grand Rapids (Brookside), Michigan While there is affluence and an expanding health care hub on Grand Rapids’ “medical mile,” still nearly 16% of the population falls below the poverty line. Brookside Serve provides the opportunity to grow in your faith while serving the poorer side of this community. Grand Rapids (LaGrave), Michigan Grand Rapids was labeled the Best City to Visit by Lonely Planet but it is not so wonderful for everyone who lives there. Many are underemployed and have lost hope, and local non-profit organizations are sometimes overwhelmed by the needs. Caring for them is in the DNA of our congregation. Come and experience God moving in mighty ways in the hearts of individuals as we care for people in our community. Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton, Ontario, the city of waterfalls, is located along the Niagara Escarpment on the western shores of Lake Ontario. Work at the Good Shepherd Centre Ministry for the entire week with a day away to Niagara Falls and impact the lives of others as they impact you.
London, Ontario Due largely to the recent downturn in the manufacturing economy, London is now experiencing the second highest unemployment rate in Ontario. Work closely with our congregation as we establish relationships on the street and with agencies that support the working poor, the disadvantaged and those living at street level, particularly youth. Muskegon, Michigan Community strengths and needs mix with the creativity and resources of the body of Christ to make this a powerful experience in God’s love. On Michigan’s West Coast, work with community-based organizations to clean up inner city areas, do light construction such as building wheelchair ramps or doing maintenance on homes, stock local food pantries, help with landscaping for the elderly or visit and care for people in the nursing home. New York City, New York An exciting opportunity to engage in an urban context in the largest metropolitan area of the U.S. You’ll spend your time being with people, and listening will be a large part of this experience. Join in on reaching out and serving the materially poor and the spiritually poor of NYC, showing and telling the gospel of Jesus. The Bowery Mission will be your home and hub for ministry and Pastor Pete Armstrong of Dwell Church will be your guide through understanding ministry in NYC. Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough is known to be a “cottaging” grand central, yet there is also a very large homeless population. Come help in food and clothing banks, pitch in with ministries that serve the at-risk, street level population, and engage in the global issue of human trafficking.
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Platte, South Dakota
Stephenville, Texas
Platte is a small, rural community with a big heart to be a people and congregation involved in the Great Commission. Take a break from suburbia (if that’s where you live) and seek to impact the Platte community with the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Communities near Stephenville have been hit by tornados and flooding and revitalization takes much longer than expected. In the “Cowboy Capital”, people are determined to help one another rebuild. Beyond that, 26% of the population lives below the poverty line in rural areas without the support systems of a major city. Worksites include light construction, minor renovations, visiting the lonely, organizing at a clothes bank and working at a pregnancy care center.
Regina, Saskatchewan Come work alongside the Indian Metis Christian Fellowship on children’s ministry opportunities and Food Bank assistance, learning first hand about every aspect of life from Aboriginal ministry leaders. In Saskatchewan, you’ll have a unique cultural experience. Many urban families are in need and you can help make their houses more like homes with some light maintenance, painting and the joy of Jesus Christ. Ripon, California Ripon is located in the heart of California’s central valley and has a rich agricultural history. The host churches of Almond Valley and Immanuel CRC partner in many ministries and would love to have you come alongside of what God is doing in Northern California! Roselawn, Indiana 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, thriving and young church with people from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. When you come serve here, you’ll join a work already in progress and it will continue long after your week is over.
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Thunder Bay, Ontario
Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Expand your view of the world through Prairie Serve. While urban and global poverty get much of the 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. We will connect your group with various communities to experience God’s work, meet needs, learn from a variety of people and participate in God’s mission. Recent immigrants who are African, Latino and Southeast Asian make up our extended neighborhood (Northwest Iowa, SE South Dakota, SW Minnesota and NE Nebraska). Sioux Falls, South Dakota As the largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls offers a welcoming atmosphere and big city entertainment with a small-town feel. The large immigrant and Native American population makes living and serving here unique and you’ll have many opportunities to work with people who come from a different background.
Located on the north shore of beautiful Lake Superior in the heart of the rugged Canadian Boreal forest, Thunder Bay Serve seeks to reach people from the downtown areas of the city to the rural outskirts and cover the region with the gospel message. Washington D.C. In Washington D.C., you can be near influential leaders who literally believe they will change the world and among persons on the street who feel they haven’t got a prayer. Serve on a variety of worksites, including soup kitchens, halfway houses, painting projects and yard work in inner Washington D.C. Winnipeg, Manitoba (Special Needs) This site is intentionally planned to accommodate individuals ages 14-26 with disabilities who will live and serve side-by-side with peers and a personally assigned mentor, engaging in worship, small group study, personal devotions and meaningful service opportunities. Worksites are carefully chosen and provide a wonderful way for youth/ young adults to serve the community.
Whitinsville, Massachusetts Part of the larger Blackstone River Valley, which is known as the “Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution,” Whitinsville was once the home of the Whitin Machine Works, an internationally renowned maker of textile machinery. As such, the town (along with the rest of the Blackstone River Valley) was recently designated part of a National Historic Park! However, you would not know this by walking along the rivers, mills and housing that characterize this historic diamond in the rough. Neglected due to economic decline after the Whitin Machine Works closed, parts of town, including key waterways,
potential parks and historic landmarks, are greatly in need of some TLC. Students will break out the work gloves and be asked to lend some sweat equity to help restore hope, pride and beauty to one of our country’s newest National Parks while also growing closer to the one who restores our lives. Woodstock, Ontario Woodstock is famous for being The Dairy Capital of Canada as well as “The Friendly City”. The worksites here are a good reflection of how Maranatha CRC is already serving Christ and how we can serve others even if the need is not obvious. Be involved in painting, creation care, light construction and preparing food for those who need it.
More sites being added! Check the website for a complete listing of Serve sites.
2016
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2016 Frequently Asked Questions How much does Serve cost? Serve Sites start at $290.00 if registration is completed by March 31. Everything is included except transportation. After March 31, prices increase by $50. A few sites vary on price, depending on length of experience and transportation. Check our Site Descriptions online for specific details.
Will my group be split up? Yes, the Host Team will place participants in work/small groups, intentionally splitting up those from the same church in order to promote community among the entire group. Want your youth group to stay together? Contact us at missions@youthunlimited.org to talk about customizing your Serve experience.
Is there a size limit to the size of group I can bring? Whether you have a group of 5 or 35 we have site options for your group!
How do I register? Step One: Reserve spots for a specific location online beginning November 1 by placing a Deposit of $50 per person. At this time, you will indicate your top three site location choices. You will only need to indicate the number of youth and adult spots at this time.
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Step Two: After you receive your Confirmation Letter of your site placement, your group can then Register in full online by providing specific participant information.
When will I find out what Serve Site I got into? Please allow three to four weeks for your Deposit to be processed. You will receive written confirmation by mail and email.
What is the Serve Transportation Policy? 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.” 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.
Are scholarships available? Yes! Needs-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 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 where you are traveling, and bring a copy of your insurance card.
What does a typical Serve day look like? 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:45 AM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM
Breakfast/Prepare Lunches Devotions Leave for Worksites Showers/Free Time Dinner Evening Session Small Group Discussion Snack and Free Time Lights Out
More questions answered at youthunlimited.org/serve/faq or by emailing missions@youthunlimited.org.
2016 Planning Calendar September 1, 2015
o 2016 Serve Sites announced at youthunlimited.org!
September/October 2015
o Choose a Serve experience. Invite input from fellow leaders, students, parents and church leadership. There are sample letters in the Digital Resource Box to assist you in your planning and communication.
November 1, 2015
o Reserve spots for your group by placing a deposit. You will only need to indicate the number of youth and adult spots at this time. Sites are filled on a first come, first served basis!
November 2015–March 2016
o After you receive your Confirmation Letter of your site placement, your group can then Register in full online by providing specific participant information.
March 31, 2016
o Register by March 31 to lock in the early bird price.
April 1, 2016
o Price increases by $50 per person for those not registered. Scholarship application deadline.
April 15, 2016
o Cancellation refund deadline.
May 1, 2016
o Final balance due for all June Sites
June 1, 2016
o Final balance due for all July Sites
Before your Serve experience
o Collect Liability Waiver forms from each student and adult participant. (Take these to your Serve experience and give to Host Team.) o Ensure each Adult Leader has a Background Check on file at the church. More information can be found at youthunlimited.org/serve/faq. o Have a Leaders’ Meeting to review the Serve Leader Handbook (expectations), Spiritual Life Guide and Expectations of a Leader document. o Have a Students’ Meeting: teach from the 2016 pre-trip theme lessons and review the Student Handbook. o Ask your congregation to pray.
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