Youth events in the Upper Midwest are led by some very committed and generous adults; but several self-giving youth help lead them as well. These youth are part of the Upper Midwest Youth Council (UMwYC).

For 2010-2011 they include:

• Alex Nicoll (West Des Moines Christian Church)
• Cassandra Dietrich (First Christian Church – Keokuk)
• Jessica Sundstrom (Noelridge Christian Church)
• Kathleen Fox (Wakonda Christian Church)
• Alexis Miller (Central Christian Church – Waterloo)
• Kyra Fry (West Des Moines Christian Church)
• Lucas Nordyke (Runnells Christian Church)
• Leah Reeve (Runnells Christian Church)
• Amanda Wakelin (Davis Street Christian Church)
• Kelsey Edwards (Wakonda Christian Church)
• Mattie Schaffer (Noelridge Christian Church)
• Jacob Kingland (North English Christian Church)
• Allison Babberl (Wakonda Christian Church)
• Annie Brown (Howard Street Christian Church)
• Jordan Hagedon (Davis Street Christian Church)

We look forward to seeing their creativity and gifts for ministry at this year’s upcoming youth events.

A.D.a.M. Camp (July 5th – 9th, 2010)

Not all church camps are the same. And with a name like A.D.a.M. camp, you can expect this one to be an original – a classic.

This camp is for those who don’t fit the “camper” mold. This camp is for you:

• if you’re Chi Rho (completed 6-8th grade) or CYF (completed 9-12th grade) age
• if you prefer staying in hotel rooms rather than in cabins or in tents outdoors
• if you like free space and time to be creative
• if you prefer the adults to be mentors rather than supervisors
• if you like to take all the time you’re given and then rush to create something at the last minute … and have it turn out better than you expected …

Directors Scott Stillwell and Anne Gregory have lined up experts to come in each day and teach about their artistic medium. We already have a visual artist, a dance instructor, a singer/songwriter ready to come in and help with the camp. We are thrilled that the Christian Conference Center is giving us this GIGANTIC space inside to fill with creativity. You should be prepared to create anything and everything. Every night we’ll have a performance or showcase — a “gig,” if you will — and then a cast party where we celebrate God’s inspiring gifts to us from that day.

The camp is in honor and memory of Adam Barnett, a young man who tragically died in February 2008. Adam was a camper at the Christian Conference Center and his family and friends have pooled money to help underwrite this camp and to continue helping others realize – on Holy Ground – the gifts God gives them.

Here I Am: Christian Youth Leadership Experience at Culver Stockton College

June 11-13, 2010

Want to serve the church?  Already serving but want to learn how to continue?  Come to  Here I Am: A Conference in Christian Leadership. High school students completing grades 10, 11, and 12 are invited to come to a weekend of leadership development, worship, food, and fun!

Here I Am begins Friday evening, June 11th, and runs through Sunday morning, June 13th.  The keynote speaker is Rev. Todd Adams, Associate Vice-President of the Christian Church (DOC); featured preacher is Rev. Dr. Christal Williams, Associate Regional Minister in IL/WI region; music provided by Paul Svenson, www.dadsongbook.com.  To register, go to www.culver.edu/hereIam.  The cost is $75.  Please register by May 23rd.  If you have further questions, please contact Chaplain Brent Reynolds at 573-288-6420 or breynolds@culver.edu

Do you want affordable youth worker training?  What if it was friendly and appropriate for volunteers, lay leaders, casual youth leaders, or anyone else who even talk with youth?

Midwest Youth Worker Interchance

Who: Mark Riddle (http://www.theriddlegroup.com/blog/) speaking, ANY youth worker should attend
When: September 10-11, 2010  (Friday,  Saturday)
Where: Christian Conference Center in Newton, IA
How much does it cost?:

• $20 if you just want to attend Saturday’s sessions ($20 includes meals)
• $45 (for Friday night extended learning time, hotel room, meals, event registration)

Mark Riddle is author of “Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors” and “The (un) Official Church Staff Manual: Youth Pastor Edition.”

Please direct questions to Dan Mayes (dan@spencerdisciples.org), pastor of First Christian Church, Spencer, IA and member of regional youth unit;
or, Melanie Van Weelden (melanie4399@gmail.com), Regional Minister for Youth Ministry.

(Please note: registration happens through third-party services, so it is normal for you to be re-directed to a new site to register for this event).

Here’s a tentative schedule:

Friday

• 4:00pm – Session 1
• 7:00pm – Dinner
• 8:45pm – Optional Late night discussion (probably centered around various questions people are asking)
• 10:00pm – Toward Bed

Saturday

• 8:30am – Session 2
• 10:15am  – Break
• 10:30am  – Session 3
• 12:00pm- Lunch
• 1:15pm – Session 4
• 2:30pm – Session 5
• 4:00pm – Gathering Concludes

About the Speaker:

Mark Riddle is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and founder of the Riddle Group, a ministry coaching and consulting firm committed to making life better for senior pastors, youth pastors, volunteers, parents and teens. With almost 20 years experience in vocational ministry, Mark collaborates with local church leaders to promote and develop sustainable ministries that impact youth and their families. Mark wrote “Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors: A Church Leaders Guide to Staffing and Leading Youth Pastors” and “The (un)Official Church Staff Manual: Youth Pastor Edition”. He has contributed to a variety of periodicals including Relevant Magazine, Youth Worker Journal, The Journal of Student Ministries, ImmerseJournal.com, and many others. He is an adjunct professor at Biblical Seminary. Mark lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife, Pam, and their three kids, Zachery, Jaden, and Mikayla.

Submitted by Sara Galindo

In February some of the Chi Rho kids that I work with expressed concerns about the racist comments they were hearing regarding the aid requests for Haiti.  They were struggling with how to respond.  We talked it over and decided to sponsor a lock-in and begin some activities that might open the conversation further.

The hope of this event is that the kids who attend will leave with 1) an answer from the scriptures that they can refer to, and 2) a project that they can share – their own interpretation of the story of the Good Samaritan.  We are invited your kids to join us on this adventure.

Below is an information sheet and registration for the lock-in for 3rd-8th grade that we are putting together.

• We are asking for each participant to pay $5 or bring one item for Church World Service Health kits (listed on the information sheet) and $2.00 for food expenses.
• I am still working on schedule and need volunteers.
• We will begin at 6:30 p.m. with arrival and team building activities.  Dinner will be a 7 p.m.
• I’m also in need of a videographer in the early morning to video what the kids put together.  We can then provide churches and individuals with DVD’s to show what we learned from Jesus’ story of the good Samaritan.
• We will dismiss at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

FCC Laurens IA – Lockin Registration

For more information, contact:

Sara Galindo
FCC Laurens
324 West Section Line Road
Laurens, IA
712.841.2455