Prayer & Praise (July 22-28)

- We are up in Minnesota serving in the Twin Cities! The first week was spent doing team-building and working with our partnering churches to canvass neighborhoods with flyers for 5-Day Clubs.

This week is ministry week. We are doing 87 different 5-Day Clubs around the Twin Cities metro area. In these first three days we have had 1,804 children attend club, and 197 children have put their faith in Christ for salvation!

Here are some pictures from the trip thus far:

At Denver International Airport (DIA), ready to fly to the Twin Cities

Here is the whole CEF crew for “Good News Across America”

Canvassing the neighborhood with 5-Day Club flyers

Game time!

Teaching time on the tarp

Small groups time

More game time!

Minnesota beauty at the end of the day

The goal is for each partnering church in the Twin Cities to start an after-school Good News Club in the fall. Would you pray for our work this week to be effective in helping spark these new community-based ministries to children? Pray for the 80% of children who do not hear the good news of Jesus in church on Sunday mornings. We need to reach them in the community.

Thank you for your prayers!

Prayer & Praise (July 8-14)

- June 10-17 we took 27 students and staff from Colorado to Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) training, held on the campus of Frontier School of the Bible in LaGrange, WY. Although we were there for training to reach others, the students themselves were changed through the experience. The testimony time at the end on Saturday night was probably the most powerful I have seen in my ten years of CYIA. Also, we had two students who came to Christ during training in response to chapel messages!

- The 5-Day Club is a 90-minute program filled with high energy games, a Bible lesson, a memory verse, songs, and a missions time. Kids get to hear the gospel, have fun, and just be in a positive environment. Praise God, we have had 36 clubs so far this summer! (Pictured on the map, click for a larger view!) There will be one more week of clubs, the week of July 30.

- On Monday morning at 10:00am, I am leaving with a team of eight students from Denver and one student from Wyoming for “Good News Across America,” a two-week mission trip to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. (We will be there July 16-28.) We are joining CEF workers from around the nation to partner with 29 local churches in the Twin Cities and help them start new community-based ministries to children. Would you pray for us as we travel and minister? You can download specific prayer requests here.

Thank you for praying!!!

Prayer & Praise (March 4-10)

- On Friday night (March 2), we had our annual info meeting for students and parents to come learn about Christian Youth In Action (CYIA). Praise God: We had 23 people show up, and it went great! After some fellowship and Papa John’s pizza, I got up and talked about CYIA for 30 or 40 minutes. The students and parents asked great questions, and I think everyone walked away better prepared to discern if this ministry is what God has for them this summer.

- Today I went to Denver Seminary to represent CEF at their two-day missions fair. This is the first contact that CEF has ever made with the seminary, so we are excited! I had good conversations with several students. I go back tomorrow (Tuesday, March 6) for the second day of the fair. Please pray for great contacts, and especially that each seminary student who visits with the various organizations represented would be able to gain something valuable for their current and future ministry.

- For Summer 2012, we are joining the Wyoming state CYIA training in June. This Thursday (March 8), I am driving up to Cheyenne, WY, along with Frank, Connie, and Sarah to join an all-day planning meeting on Friday. Please pray for great teamwork and effectiveness as we prepare for training the teenagers this summer!

That’s it for now. Thank you for praying!!! Blessings.

Back from Uganda

I have put together a report on my mission trip to Uganda! It was an incredible time, and I was so blessed by everyone I met, staff and students alike. I hope you can take a moment to check out the report: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13440809/Uganda-2012-report.pdf (11 MB PDF, so allow a moment for it to download)

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the photo album on Facebook! (You don't need a Facebook account to view it.)

Thank you to everyone who prayed, donated, and simply stayed in touch throughout this process. May God bless you!

Remembering & Celebrating Barbara Widner

“Barbara Widner went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 3:00pm. Barbara and I were team teachers in a Good News Club for 20 years. We met in the same room in the same building every Tuesday after school. Connie Porter remarked that last Tuesday Barbara went to the Big Bible Club. Barbara and I have taught for CEF for 45 years. And what a blessed trip we have had! Oh, what a godly woman who was in love with serving her Lord. Leading children to the Lord was her greatest passion. She was so loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed. I miss her already.”—Betty Dalton

You may never have met Barbara, but a countless number of children did. Only eternity will tell all of the results of her incredible ministry. In the front of her Bible was a poem that I would like to share with you:

Some would gather money along the path of life,
Some would gather roses and rest from worldly strife.

But I would gather children from among the thorns of sin.
I would seek a golden curl, a freckled, toothless grin.

For money cannot enter in the land of endless day,
And roses that are gathered soon wilt along the way.

But, oh the laughing children as I cross the sunset sea,
And the gates swing wide to heaven as I take them in with me.

Barbara also saw the need to pray for the children. Will you follow her example? Will you commit to pray for the children of your community, your nation, and your world?

Uganda video update #4

I depart for Uganda on Saturday! Check out this 3 min video update with the latest news and a prayer request.

Some of the expenses—the vaccinations, in particular—ended up costing more than anticipated. I have gotten approval to increase my trip budget from $2,500 to $3,000 to cover everything. To date I have received $2,730 in donations, or 91% of this new budget. I only need $270 to meet the new goal! Please consider donating $20 or more:

I am excited about what God is going to do through this CYIA training. Please pray for the training staff, the students who are coming to attend, and the children that they will reach with the love of Christ.

Uganda video update #3

Check out my 2 min video update on what happened this weekend. Thanks for all of your help and support!!!

UPDATE (Dec 26, 2011): Some of the expenses—the vaccinations, in particular—ended up costing more than anticipated. I have gotten approval to increase my trip budget from $2,500 to $3,000 to cover the expenses. To date I have received $2,730 in donations, or 91% of this new budget. Would you consider helping by donating $20 or more?

Thanks to everyone for all of your questions, comments, and encouragement. I look forward to staying in touch with you over these next few weeks.

Uganda video update #2

UPDATE (Dec 26, 2011): Some of the expenses—the vaccinations, in particular—ended up costing more than anticipated. I have gotten approval to increase my trip budget from $2,500 to $3,000 to cover the expenses. To date I have received $2,730 in donations, or 91% of this new budget. Would you consider helping by donating $20 or more?

I wanted to thank everyone for all of the questions, comments, and encouragement you have given via Facebook, email, and in person over the past six weeks. It never ceases to amaze me how God binds His people together no matter where they are, around the nation or around the world!

Uganda video update #1

UPDATE (Dec 26, 2011): Some of the expenses—the vaccinations, in particular—ended up costing more than anticipated. I have gotten approval to increase my trip budget from $2,500 to $3,000 to cover the expenses. To date I have received $2,730 in donations, or 91% of this new budget. Would you consider helping by donating $20 or more?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

CEF World Day of Prayer

I would like to invite you to join me in going before the Lord for the most important aspect of accomplishing CEF’s ministry: prayer. Without depending on God—who he is and what he does—we cannot reach the children, we cannot disciple them, and we cannot establish them in local churches.

Use this short URL to watch a video message from CEF’s vice president of USA Ministries, Moises Esteves, on the vitality of prayer: http://j.mp/vyQKRg.

Please join me in praying on the CEF World Day of Prayer: Wednesday, November 2. Thank you!

Help Sylvia finish CMI

UPDATE: As of November 9, Sylvia's cost of CMI is fully paid! Thank you everyone for your help!!!

Sylvia has been on our CYIA summer missions team here in Denver for the past five years. It has been amazing to see her learn and grow and minister to children!

This fall, Sylvia traveled to our HQ in Missouri for the Children’s Ministries Institute (CMI)—an intensive 12-week training. As I write this post, she and her fellow students are just finishing up week nine! They will graduate on November 11.

The cost for CMI is about $4,500. Through scholarships and fundraising, Sylvia has gotten almost all of the funds she needs. However, she still needs about $520 for the final payment, which is due next week (Oct 24-28).

Would you consider a gift to help Sylvia finish CMI?

Click “Donate” to give a secure online donation via credit card or PayPal:

Thank you so much!

- Andrew

Andrew's mission trip to Uganda

I wanted to share with you about something new and exciting that is coming up:

I have been invited by CEF of Uganda to serve as a facilitator for their seventh annual Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) training. They train students to reach children for Christ in 5-Day Clubs, just like we do here in Denver during our summer missions. I am very excited about this opportunity! It will be my first time to travel overseas.

I will be in Uganda from January 2-14, 2012. I will get to speak in chapel services to challenge and encourage the students, as well as help facilitate some training classes and practicum times. CEF of Uganda is expecting about 140 young people to attend the training. It will take place at a school just a few miles outside of Kampala.

The trip budget has been set at $3,000 USD. Would you consider giving $20 or more toward this mission trip? I would really appreciate it! Your support is what makes all of this possible.

Click "Donate" to give a secure online donation via credit card or PayPal:

The children of Uganda are hungry and thirsty for the gospel of Christ. I am excited to be a part of a team building up young missionaries who will reach them with the Good News next year in 2012! Thanks for reading.

Prayer & Praise (Sept 18-24)

- Well, we had a great summer of ministry with Christian Youth In Action! Praise God for these results: CYIA students taught 886 children all across the Denver metro area. 79 children were counseled for salvation, and 18 were counseled for Christian growth. In addition, the children in clubs raised over $700 for a CEF missionary in East/Central Africa.

It was an exciting summer, and I saw each of the students grow in different ways, especially the six students who went on the Salt Lake City mission trip I wrote to you about last time. Please pray for all of these students as they are back in school now and striving to live for Jesus in that environment!

- We are planning a CEF banquet for Friday, November 4. Would you pray for us to be able to get all of the table sponsors that we need for this event? We are hoping for this banquet to be a great success in casting the vision about reaching children for Christ and getting more people involved through prayer, finances, volunteering, etc.

- Now that the summer ministry is over, I have shifted my focus to planning for next year as well as just doing overall program development. Please pray for me to stay focused, be effective in developing relationships with our ministry partners, and have great ideas for how we can continue building this ministry! God is faithful, and I am looking forward to the next year.

Thanks for praying!

Prayer & Praise (June 26-July 2)

- Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) training finished up this past Friday, and the students did great! We celebrated the end of two weeks of hard work with a movie night.

During the second week of training, the CYIA students taught six practice 5-Day Clubs. 87 children attended, and 11 of them placed their faith in Christ for the first time!!! The children also brought $112.08 for Florence Aderi, a CEF missionary in East/Central Africa.

- This week is our first full week of 5-Day Clubs for Greater Denver. We have five teams out this week, four of them with a 1st-time team leader. Praise God, they are doing a fantastic job! The teams are teaching clubs in Thornton, Broomfield, Castle Rock, Littleton, Denver, Aurora, and Lafayette. Would you pray for the safety of the teams as they travel?

- Our ministry partners for 5-Day Clubs this week include Crossroads Church, Salvation Army Red Shield, E&R Cannon Child Care, Bullfrogs & Butterflies Child Care, The Journey Community Church, and New Life Evangelical Free Church. Please pray that God would use each of these partnerships to further His glory and kingdom in the lives of the children and their communities.

Thanks!

Prayer & Praise (June 19-25)

- It has been a busy couple of months since I wrote you last! In April, we finished signing up 18 students (pictured above) to be on our Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) team this summer.

In May, I traveled to North Carolina for a week to attend the CEF International Conference, which takes place every three years. We celebrated the fact that CEF now has active ministry to children in 176 nations around the world. (See the flags of the nations pictured below).



- June 6-8 I took our student leaders (pictured below) on a retreat to do leadership training, spiritual formation, and team-building. It was a memorable experience and I think they learned a lot! We were blessed with the use of a home up in mountains, which was great for getting away from the distractions of everyday life.



- Most recently, we just returned from our first week of CYIA training, help at a camp in Allenspark, CO. This week we are holding a second week of training at Hope Crossing Church next to our office here in Denver. The students have been busy taking classes on all the various aspects of children’s ministry, studying the lessons and stories that they will be telling in 5-Day Clubs, and getting to know their teammates better and better!

This week they actually teach one 5-Day Club each day and then come back to the office to evaluate how it went and continue studying. This hands-on training will prepare them for next week when they launch into doing ministry all day, every day. Pray for these students as they courageously take the good news of Jesus to the children of our city!!!

Prayer & Praise (March 20-26)

- Last time I wrote to you, I was just about to head up to Frontier School of the Bible in Wyoming to represent CEF at their Spring Missions Conference. Well, I am happy to say the trip went great! I got to teach two sessions, meet some really great students, and spread the word about the ministry that CEF is doing with children in Denver and around the world.

- On March 4, we held our annual informational meeting for students and parents to come learn about Christian Youth In Action (CYIA). About 20-30 people turned out for it, and I am really excited about the students that God is bringing to us this year. I think we are going to have a solid team this summer.



The application deadline for our two-week mission trip to Salt Lake City is March 25, and the application deadline for summer missions in Denver is April 4. Please pray for the students to be able to get their paperwork done and turned in on time, and pray especially that God would bring us just the right students for His purpose!

- For the past almost five years we have shared office space with Candlelight Electric, a service company. This arrangement has served us well in many ways, but it has also had its drawbacks. Our lease with Candlelight was up on Dec 31. We are now renting from them on a month-to-month basis, as we wanted to find a new location that would better position us for future ministry.

I have been working closely with a broker for the past few months, and I am pleased to say that just this week we received the final executed lease agreement on a new office suite.



The new building (pictured above) is very visible, easily accessible, and situated right next to a church that we plan to partner with for larger trainings. It is a great location and we have signed a three-year lease. Moving day is planned for April 16. Please pray for everything as we get prepared!

Thank you for all your support!

Prayer & Praise (Feb 6-12)

- I am taking a few weeks off from Good News Club while my co-teacher, Ruth, goes on a trip to California to help raise her financial support. Ruth is preparing to start serving full-time with CEF of Greater Denver later this year. Will you pray that she has a great trip and can build some solid new relationships? She will be in California from Feb 3-18.

- I leave tonight for Frontier School of the Bible in LaGrange, Wyoming, to represent CEF at their spring missions conference. It is about a 160-mile drive from Denver and the weather is poor today (snow; cold temperatures). Will you pray for safety as I travel?

Here is a picture from the Starbucks in Denver right now where I am writing this post:



I will be at Frontier for three days, teach two workshops, have a display table set up, and hopefully just have lots of great conversations with the students! Here are the workshop sessions I will be teaching:

TEAMWORK IN MISSIONS: God didn't just call you ... He called others too! But what if you don't really get along with those other people? In this session, we will dig into the book of Acts to see what dynamics of teamwork the early Christians encountered as they carried out their mission, and what lessons we can learn from them as we carry out the mission today.

TRANSFORMATIONAL STUDENT MINISTRY: How does transformation happen? And what does this mean for how we do student ministry? In this session we will explore a simple yet powerful principle from the Scriptures that explains how God has designed us, and then from that insight explore how we and the students we minister to might be changed.

I'm looking forward to it! Thanks so much for your prayers and for your heart for this ministry.

Prayer & Praise (Jan 16-22)

- On Saturday night (Jan 15), we had our “Christmas in January” party for the CYIA summer missionaries. It was great time!!! We shared a meal, played games, and did a drawing for door prizes.

- We finished off 2010 with contributions for our Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) program totaling $29,827 (or 89% of budget). And although we did not quite make budget, this 89% in 2010 represents a great improvement from 2009. There is definitely momentum building for this ministry. I am looking forward to a great 2011!

As I put together the budget for this year, I am incorporating some new ways of cutting costs vs. the way we ran the program last year. Additionally, I am also excited about some new fundraising opportunities/strategies we will be pursuing this year. Will you join me in praying that this ministry to students and children will be fully-funded in 2011 and that, above all else, we would honor God in all we do and listen to His voice in all things?

- At Good News Club last week, I spoke with a six-year-old girl after the Bible lesson. She had professed faith in Christ at club several weeks ago and when I spoke with her today she told me that she wanted to tell her friends at school about Jesus.

“I think that’s a great idea!” I said. Then, looking at Ruth and me, she said: “I want to be like you guys when I grow up! I think it would be fun to go around and teach people about Jesus.”

I don’t know what God’s plans are for this little girl, but I can tell that the Holy Spirit is doing something wonderful in her heart. Please pray that Good News Club will continue to be a source of growth and encouragement for her!

Prayer & Praise (Dec 19-25)

- Funds have continued to come in to finish off our 2010 program budget for Christian Youth In Action (CYIA). To date we have received $29,127 (or 87% of our budget). Please continue to pray for the remaining funds.

We are having a “Christmas in January” party for CYIA next month. I am sending out invitations this week and hope that many of our summer missionaries will be able to come! This is a great time in the middle of the school year for them to reconnect with one another and enjoy some good fellowship.

- After nine months on the job as our office manager (the other hat I wear in addition to CYIA Director), I am preparing for a big transition as we get ready for 2011. We are changing our accounting software over to QuickBooks by Intuit, and there are many things that I need to learn how to do in the new system: charitable contributions, bookstore sales, payroll, etc. Please pray for me to learn everything quickly and accurately!

- The fall semester at Metro State finished up this past Wednesday. I have about five weeks off before diving into spring semester. Praise God for this time of rest and relaxation, and pray for me to be able to use the extra time wisely.

Thanks for praying!

Prayer & Praise (Oct 31 - Nov 6)

- We started our Good News Club at Mt. View Child Care again a couple of weeks ago. It has been great getting to reconnect with all of the kids! Many of the same children from last year are there, as well as some new ones. We are starting a six-week series on “Moses: The Lawgiver,” exploring the story of Moses and the Israelites starting with God giving the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. A quick survey the first week revealed that most of the children have never heard this story before. I am excited that my teaching teammate Ruth and I get to share this important chapter in God’s Story with them!

- Funds continue to come in to finish off our 2010 program budget for Christian Youth In Action (CYIA). To date we have received $27,239 (or 82% of our budget, up from 79% the last time I wrote you). Please continue to pray for the remaining funds to come in.

- This Saturday, Nov 6, I am helping teach a Good News Club workshop down in Castle Rock. Many of the people who will be attending are getting training for the very first time. Please pray for a great work to be done as these fantastic volunteers learn how to share the gospel with children, teach memory verses, and put together a Bible lesson. I will be teaching in the morning and Marney will be teaching in the afternoon.

Thanks for your prayers!