“I JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!”

My day was done and I was considering closing my eyes when….”PING”! I looked at my phone to see a text from a teen asking “Can we talk?” This has happened 3 different times over the last couple of weeks. As I’ve talked to our leader team, they too have been receiving texts asking the same question. Every conversation started with, “I just don’t know what to do!” That’s a quick glimpse of how God has been working through our team lately. As we established relationships between leaders and students prior to COVID-19, God opened the door for us to share God’s love in the midst of the confusion caused by the pandemic. Lots of changes, but no control over it.

 In their own words….

“I didn’t realize how much I’d miss ‘normal life’.”

“I’m an only child, it’s lonely at home.”

“When I was in school, all in wanted to do was go home. Now that I’m home, I just want to go to  school.”

So what do we do? We change how we connect!

• We “Ding Dong Ditched” students houses. With real Ding Dongs! 

• We ask teachers and leaders to video their testimony and post them for students to see on Instagram TV.

• We start a phone app Bible study. We’ve completed John & Ruth and are now in the middle of Ephesians with over 20 leaders and teens.

• Lots of Zoom and phone calls.

I’m not going to lie, it’s harder to minister teens while “social distancing”, but we have been checking in to encourage, love and pray with them. Reminding them that even though the world has changed, God has not. As you pray for us, please contact our team and tell us how we can be praying for you!

Sabbatical

I am blessed to work for an organization that grants us a sabbatical every seven years. For me, it’s been nine. In my time with YFC, I’ve never once felt “burnt out.” I’ve never felt like I have needed a sabbatical. Then someone told me, “don’t wait until you need one to take one!”

Beginning June 15th, I will be taking a three month sabbatical. I’ll turn off my email, shut off social media, and take a step away from local and national ministry.

As my sabbatical approaches, I’ve been thinking through what I want to get out of it and how I will spend my time. Here are a few things on my list…

• Learn something new

• Write a children’s book

• Take a vacation (or two)

• Read a long list of books

• Write a prayer

• Go skydiving (and live to tell about it)

I’ve split up my time into a few different ‘phases.’ The first month will focus on REST. I’ll be vacationing, spending time with family, and establishing margin away from ministry.

The next month will be focused on REFLECTION. I’ll spend this time asking God, “Is there anything you want to say to me?” I want to experience God (and myself) in new ways.

The final month will be about REFOCUSING. I will ask myself, “What needs to change in my life and ministry based on what God has spoken to me?” This will be the application phase of my sabbatical.

I am so excited to see what God is going to teach me during this rare opportunity. Will you pray for me? Will you help fund my sabbatical? Do you have any advice for me?

If so, give me a call - I’d love to hear from you! Seriously, reach out at 309.826.1427.

Hand Off

Hi Friends, it’s been almost a year since we packed everything and moved west. You may have noticed the Campus Life position has been vacant since then. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, our leadership team reviewed applications and conducted interviews. It just never felt like we had the right candidate, until last week.

I present to you Evan Penn. Evan isn’t a stranger to Campus Life or Pekin. He attended Washington High School but traveled to Pekin most weeks to attend youth group with his friends. He accepted Christ through the ministry of First Baptist and found community in Campus Life trips and events.

I’m pretty protective of our Pekin Family, Team & Ministry. I’ve known Evan for a few years and I don’t hesitate in welcoming him as our Pekin Campus Life intern.

Again, this is not a farewell from the Briggs’. If the world cooperates we plan to return to Pekin for a week later this summer. We want to help make Evan’s transition as smooth as can be.

If you’d like to connect, then call, text or email and we’ll do our best to make arrangements. We’d love to see you and introduce you to Evan, at an appropriate distance of course.

Jarrod Briggs

Ladies and Gentlemen, Evan Penn…

Hello All!

I am so excited to join YFC staff as an intern with Campus Life in Pekin. It seems to me as if life is coming full circle. I thought my time in youth ministry had come to a close - however, it appears God has other plans.

As Jarrod stated, I grew up in Washington. However, I attended youth group at First Baptist Church in Pekin, and I spent some time at Campus Life for worship nights as well as a trip called “Breakfast in New York.” Campus Life played a significant role in my faith growing up, and I am so excited to see what the Lord does through Campus Life and in the lives of students.

In the coming months, I cannot wait to meet you and get to know you! If you are interested in a phone call, a Zoom call, coffee (when appropriate or allowed - I love coffee and miss coffee shops!), or just get to know me, shoot me a text or call me at 309-258-9917.

Please continue to pray for teens in Pekin.

Evan Penn

Free Delivery

Tony is a young man who, from day one, has been engaged in all things City Life. Tony is in the foster care system and at the age of transition to independent living. With only a few steps left, he is having major issues with others that live in that house. He has stayed away from the house as much as he can. That’s not unusual for teens in bad situations, but sometimes they pursue things that aren’t healthy. Tony found a girlfriend he could stay with because she lived in the dorms. So now, partying, sex, staying out until all hours means he isn’t focusing on his life goals and responsibilities. His family tries to encourage him with a car, if he maintains good grades and keeps a job.

Then suddenly Coronavirus shut him down one step at a time. Closed college meant the girlfriend moved back home. His job laid him off. Now he is forced to spend more time back at the house he was avoiding.

Then Tony discovers GrubHub, a job where he can set his own hours, put gas in his car, stay away from house, AND his girlfriend can be with him at work. As restaurants strive to survive, free delivery has become a big hit. You can get your favorite food and never leave your house. Tony, who doesn’t want to stay home, can bring it to your doorstep.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been is what will be,

And what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” So young men will want to have sex, leave home, get a car and some money. And City Life will be there to show them how this fallen world is deceiving them.

Our relational ministry has changed to Zoom calls and Facebook Live, but the One who delivers salvation is still Almighty God! At Peoria City Life we continue to deliver the Bread of Life along with the Living Water to the teens of our city knowing that God doesn’t need an App for that!

Stay faithful and stay safe!

God is Good, All the Time

I never would have guessed we would be where we are today, held up at home, under quarantine. Entering this season of social distancing has rocked YFC ministry in Metamora. It’s been very difficult for us as leaders and students. Though no matter what has happened I have continually been reminded of one thing. God is in control, and He is good!

We moved from gathering with students daily to connecting solely online. At first, this went fairly well! We connected over Zoom for game nights, for club, and even personal connections with students. In time, we realized we were having less personal interaction with students than before. We have done our best to supplement this with care packages, and personal phone calls, but this isn’t near the impact we have in person.

Although things have been hard, God is still using Campus Life to have an impact! While some students have taken a step back, a few have gone all-in. Some have even invited friends who had never been to Campus Life before! It amazes me that God helps us connect with new students during this time! We have not only connected with new students, but we’ve been able to pour into current students, helping them grow as leaders!

I wouldn’t have chosen the path we are on, but God is using this season to prepare us for what is to come! I have been reminded of the phrase “God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good.” No matter the difficulties, God’s good plan is always in motion. Please join me in prayer as we look forward to getting together with students.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store!

“The panic attack began just as her online class was about to begin.”

“The panic attack began just as her online class was about to begin.” 

I was talking with the parent of an MTHS Freshman discussing the impact of remote learning on her daughter (a straight-A student). She couldn’t handle the pressure of another Zoom class or virtual project. As her mouse hovered over the “Join Meeting” button, her heart began to race. Instead of participating in class as expected, she emailed the teacher privately to ask for another method of completing the project.

I’ve talked with numerous students during this pandemic who are in similar positions. Emotions fluctuate constantly. Anxiety and depression levels are rising. Some students are embracing extremely unhealthy coping mechanisms.  Many students have become “turtles” hiding in their shells waiting for the whole thing to blow over. They know things aren’t going well, but they also don’t know how to ask for the help they so desperately need.

Would you pray for us as we strive to come alongside these students and their families? 

Pray for the Holy Spirit to open doors of communication, encouragement and support. Pray for students to hunger for time spent in authentic relationships with YFC leaders (despite those relationships having to be virtual in nature). Pray for parents who are navigating this unprecedented time alongside their students. Pray for educators who can’t wait to return to the classroom to spend time with “their” kids!

Thank you for your support & partnership!

Essential Ministry

At the beginning of this pandemic, YFC/USA released words that became our guiding words during this season of ministry. The theme ‘Replace, NOT cancel’ has been our focus as we navigate ministry in a new and unique way. 

Club on Monday nights hasn’t been cancelled. Instead it has been replaced with a weekly Zoom call on Monday nights at 7:30. Those Zoom calls have been filled with fun and laughter, but also intentional and authentic conversations. Students are asking questions and seeking  answers. We want to be the people that help answer those questions and walk alongside them during this time.

Our Senior celebration wasn’t cancelled. Instead it was replaced as we partnered with the school, alumni, local churches, and small businesses to put together 203 gift bags for each of Limestone’s graduating class. The bags were filled to the brim with candy, treats, gift cards, and letters of encouragement. A small celebration was replaced with the opportunity to celebrate, encourage, and love the entire 2020 class. 

This season of ‘Replace NOT Cancel’ has not been perfect by any means. There has been grief and lamenting over the things we have lost, like YFC Camp, face-to-face ministry, the end of the school year, and even the loss of relationships with students. Ministry is never perfect and navigating how to build and keep relationships with students in the midst of a pandemic is not easy, but I am thankful for a loving God who is in control and cares about the smallest of details. 

While it feels like small freedoms have been taken away from us, I have found comfort in the truth that the freedom we have in Christ and because   Christ can never be taken away. Thank you Jesus for that! 

Caiti Svymbersky 

Masked Ministry

Ministry has been really interesting over this time of self-isolation.  Like many of you I’ve been trying to navigate work and family. Over the last month JJM ministry has been reaching out to our facilities and agencies in order to bless the staff and residents.  JJM over the next 3 months is looking to move through our own PHASES of ministry 

Phase 1: RE-engage in ministry though prayer and increased presence inside our facilities. Social distancing along with the requested P.P.E.

Phase 2: Stronger push and increased efforts to have JJM students follow up with us. Increase in ministry leader presence in our facilities.

Phase 3: Continue to seek $300/month in new or increased gifts to Juvenile Justice for our two year matching grant. 

Looking at the picture (above) of our staff in masks I’m reminded of the many students that show up to JJM wearing an invisible mask. Many of them are showing only a part of who they are, in fear of showing their true identity. Behind each “mask” is a teen who is hurt, broken, alone, and even Isolated. Many come from broken homes and don’t have anyone that cares for them. Social distancing has been a reality for them for a long time. And then many of our teens replace the alone time with terrible influences. 

YOU CAN HELP! 

REFER - Please refer yourself or someone you know to get involved directly. 

PRAYER - We want more warriors praying for our residents.

GIVE - Consider starting or increasing your giving. We have an incredible matching grant happening right now. 

Thank you so much for being a part of this ministry.

Grace and Peace,