Update | April 2017
Hello, friends and family!
Club Beyond in Ramstein has been up and running for about two months now, and we're happy to report that ministry has been growing steadily and successfully. We've settled into a temporary routine, balancing full-time ministry with Josh's part-time job, and our calendars have quickly grown full. Since there's been so much up in the air during this waiting season, we thought you might like to catch a glimpse of how our lives--and ministry--has been running so far.
Monday nights are High School Club nights, where we meet with teens at the Ramstein AFB Exchange and host our unique ' play music, games, and share a piece of the Gospel. Sometimes we have themes like "Pajama and Cereal" night, and sometimes after club we get to have sweet conversations over Baskin Robbins with our high school friends. Our friend Abby told us last week that Monday nights are what she looks forward to most during the week because of Club Beyond.
Tuesdays are full Club Beyond days, with staff meetings and contact work during school lunches. Meagan was asked by some of our girls to start a high school girls' group on Tuesdays after school; this will become a girls' discipleship or Bible study meeting (at Starbucks, of course).
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are normally Credit Union work days for Josh, and we usually will go to the high school during lunches to meet new students on Wednesday or Friday. Thursday evenings are reserved for a Life Group with some families from an off-base church we attend.
Saturdays are often spent at high school sports games or special outreach events. We recently partnered with PYOC (Protestant Youth of the Chapel) and Life Teen (the Catholic chapel's youth group) for some outreach events including Laser Tag and Spy Games, a stealth-required scavenger hunt in the Ramstein BX.
Sundays are sometimes the busiest, with attending an off-base church service (popular with local American military families) and then rushing to the on-base chapel service immediately after. Then a bi-weekly Club Beyond leadership meeting during which we plan club meetings, special events, pray, and squeeze in some fellowship over dinner.
This is just a snapshot of how our weeks have looked over the past few months, and how they are likely to look for a few more weeks. We just learned that Club Beyond has been cleared to receive Privilege cards/SOFA status under the approved Club Beyond MOU and our Article 71 status; we are standing by to receive further guidance from our Regional Directors as they work with each community to make sure the paperwork is processed properly. Once our Regional Directors are ready to process the staff in Ramstein, Josh will finally get to give his two weeks' notice at the Credit Union. No more part-time job! Back to 100% ministry! God is so good.
Please pray for...
- American military families stationed overseas.
- Teens in the KMC (Kaiserslautern Military Community).
- Young Life Military-Club Beyond staff around the world.
- Young Life Military-Club Beyond leadership, particularly Marty (Executive Director), Phil (International Director & Josh's Regional Director), Aretta (Regional Director), and their families.
- Our upcoming summer outreach camp in Scotland.
- Our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.