Update | October 2015
Happy autumn, everyone! Over the past month, ministry has been going strong with our middle and high school students, and we have some exciting news. After running the numbers, we’ve realized we currently have one-third of the entire middle school attending our weekly Club! What a privilege it is to share the love of Christ with them.
It’s a challenge to keep up with the middle schoolers when we play games like Jedi Dodgeball, Parachute Kickball, and other high-energy gym games at Club; their enthusiasm is boundless. But once we take a break to discuss the book of John, it’s amazing to hear their questions and processing of Scripture.
Our high school students, on the other hand, really enjoy our weekly Small Groups. We have about 10-15 high school friends that come regularly to Small Groups, where we share a meal, sing some worship songs, and walk through a passage of John in separate guys and girls groups. The ladies love to drink tea and eat jelly beans while we talk, and the boys enjoy…
This month, we hosted musicians Phil Stacey and Trevor Hager at our Army-wide Character Development event. Phil and Trevor traveled around to all the Club Beyond communities at the Army posts around Europe for over a month to perform for the students and families.
In Brussels, they performed at a BAS assembly for all of the middle and high school students, then later that day held another concert at the USAG Chapel for the whole community. We had an excellent turnout, and our students loved hearing Phil and Trevor perform—they’re both incredible artists (and both were even on American Idol!).
In other news, we recently attended our first Solitude Retreat in England with some Club Beyond staff friends. We spent 40 hours in total silence! Well, except for our morning and evening vespers, led by a Young Life staff member and his wife who flew over from the US to facilitate the retreat.
The conference center was actually a country house originally built for a wealthy banker in the mid-1800s, and the grounds provided farm fields, woods, and a garden for us to wander while spending time alone with God. It was an emotionally, mentally, and spiritually refreshing experience.
We are also getting ready for the Club Beyond Fall Staff Conference in Germany at the end of the month. The Club Beyond staff in Europe have quickly become like family, and so it’s a happy reunion whenever we have the opportunity to see each other.
How has the fall season been treating you? Any plans for Halloween? We’re praying for you and hope you’re having a wonderful October!