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What are you waiting for?The Fall brings all kinds of hope. There are lots of projects you wanted to get done this summer but didn’t get to them. But now the fall is here, there is hope. There is one project that seems daunting, yet it desperately needs your attention. Each year, like a New Year’s resolution, there is discussion about this, but this could be your opportunity. Volunteerism. Let’s look at a few reasons why more than ever you need to volunteer right now. Don't Throw the Fight!There is a temptation in every boxers life to do something other than what he is trained to do. A boxer is trained to win. To go into the ring and not only play by the rules but do whatever it takes to come out victorious. However sometimes the clouds of life fog the mind of the boxer. There are bills to pay, political agendas to satisfy, friends to make. Those things and many others may make the best of boxers think of doing the unthinkable: Throwing the Fight. It seems pretty simple. Just don’t box at your best. Let a few punches in. When the opponent hits you hard, and you fall down, just stay down. The ref will begin the count and all you have to do is not get all the way up in time. When the count is finished and you are still not standing. The crowd will never know what you did. If you are good, even your coach will not know and you will easily meld in crowd of also-rans. But we will in a day and age when “throwing the fight” has large consequences, Larger than we can imagine. The teens at the Lion’s Den need mentors. Men and women on fire for Jesus Christ and serious about helping them. But you and I might be tempted o “throw the fight” by saying we are too busy. The resources needed to keep the ministry growing and impacting others exists with in our community. We might be tempted to “throw the fight” by waiting for someone to tell us of a specific need before giving or not giving consistently to the works that are making a difference in our world. The challenge is to not “throw the fight” but rather go into the ring, arena, and areas of need (like the Lion’s Den) and do everything you can to make a difference for the cause of Christ! With eternity in mind, Lion’s Den Links with Church Night at the Falcon’s Hockey GameWhat: Church Night at the Falcon’s (Special Sponsor: Lion’s
Den Youth Outreach Center) For the second year in a row, the Springfield Falcons hockey team, with special help from Larry White, will be hosting the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center as a key part of their Church Night event on March 9th. The evening will be filled with lots of exciting things, and you won’t want to miss it. You can purchase your tickets from the Lion’s Den for $10 each (for each ticket sold, $1 is donated directly to the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center). There will be a Lion’s Den booth available that evening. Prizes and gifts will be given away as part of the festivities. Some of the other highlights that will happen that evening will be special presentations before the game to organizations and ministries that have especially aided the work of the Lion’s Den Youth Outreach Center, there will be a prayer station operating throughout the night to help those who are experiencing a special time of need, and we can’t wait to hear the sweet sounds of worship and praise from the Unity praise band. The capstone of the evening will be Bob Mortimer, the triple amputee who has spoken in places such as west point, the coast guard academy, and many of the colleges and high schools in the greater Springfield area. Please bring your family and put this event on your calendar. And remember, please purchase your tickets directly from the Lion’s Den. Getting the Word OutIn five years of ministry at the Lion’s Den, I am most amazed at the
people that are connected to the Den. I’m speaking specifically about
volunteers. They are connecting from every walk of life, and their desire
is all the same: to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. The
question for us in 2006 and 2007 is how will we get the word out to others?
I must admit, I enjoy what I do at the Lion’s Den. Sometimes it’s
with the same faces and sometime with different faces. But having the opportunity
to make a difference in the lives of others stands out as one of the all-time
favorite things I enjoy doing. Part of being engaged in the Lion’s Den
for me means being a cheerleader: sharing with others what we do and encouraging
them to engage. In that effort, I truly need your help. Getting the word out
is a real challenge because it takes time, time away from doing other things
that the Lion’s Den desperately needs done; but as we get the word out
to others, they find ways to engage that I would have never imagined on my
own. So the question for you is: how will your world engage with the Lion’s
Den, and how can you help us get the word out?
Hopefully these are a coupe of unique ways that you can “get the word out.” We are extremely encouraged that the Lion’s Den is making a difference in the lives of young people, and we are excited about the prospect of finding ways to get the word out even more. Memorial Service for Tyreke Foote
The Lion's Den Needs VolunteersWe just wanted to give you a tentative schedule for the Lion's Den volunteers for the August & Sept. Please do what you can to participate with us on these dates. For the month of August, The Den will be closed to teens and will only be open to volunteers on the listed dates. We really are asking you to get involved at this time. Also, if you have not been to the Lion's Den yet, this would be the month to visit. If you plan on assisting us, please contact The Den at 543-4444 with your contact information and the dates you intend on participating. We will get a reminder out to you and we will use the time to strengthen you for the cause of Christ. Also, you'll receive a copy of The Lion's Den new DVD and details to help you present important information to your church, business and or family. Making a Difference where you liveOne of the questions that Christian should be asking is how can they be an asset to the community in which they live. One way is to assist the public schools in your area. The challenges that schools systems have are many: violence, drug abuse, and absenteeism to say the least. In our community we recognized that drug use was killing our kids. So we partnered with a drama team, TNT. They produced a special string of dramas encouraging teens to rethink their choices. We go into local school and do specialized programs that make teens laugh, think and change their wrong activities. Why? Why do we do this? because the Word of God says to "do good unto all". What about our goals? To share Christ? We invite teens and adults to "learn more about us" on our time (their off time) at the Lion's Den. The result? Schools get the help they need, and those interested in finding out more, get the opportunity to learn truths that might change their lives forever! BY being respectful on "school time" we open the door for long term relationships with school officials and parents- helping them at a point of real need. Wounded SoldiersToo often soldiers in a battle are injured not by the enemies, but by the good guys, fighting along side them. This and the stress of the battle, spiritually can leave those in the battle for good, damaged and bleeding. As we have seen this time and time again in outreach work, we felt it important to take steps to both educate, encourage and uplift those in the battle. Thus, on Feb. 18th we will offer a training session at the Lion's Den to help the helpers. there can often be a cost for helping others. The term compassion fatigue is a newer one, but if you are in a helping field: Doctors, Nurses, Clergy, Sunday School Teachers, etc. you may be experiencing this Phenomenon . Review the announcement below and see if this session might be for you! Each year I ask God for a phrase or sentence upon which I can build other ideas and themes. This year the word I got was "selfish". I don't know what thoughts come to mind when you hear that word, but if you are like me, nothing wholesome came to mind! However, if we change it to "Self Care", we get a healthier picture. I want to encourage you - especially those who are in the caring-for-people business. It is too easy to not care for your own personal needs, then find yourself drawing from an empty well, attempting to feed others that which you yourself do not possess. You may even think it noble to care for others while sacrificing your energy, sleep - and devotional time. You know you'll claim you're doing it all for the cause of Christ, however dead is dead. When you are dead, you won't have to worry about energy! Listen up now! You need an aggressive self care plan. In order to serve the world God's best, try these 3 A's: Authenticity Accountability Availability OK. First we must wrestle with these issues: If you are going to do self care (which, by the way, will strengthen your resolve to be other-focused) you may need to be available for some different things, both serious and fun. Often when we're looking for the right people to plug into a situation, we're looking for those who can make the time commitment. Next time, remember to look for those who can commit to rest appropriately too. An engine that does not rest is an engine about to blow up! Try it! You'll find that being available for rest is vital to your success! Secondly, being accountable for your actions is imperative. Getting together weekly to talk about tough areas of growth or stagnation in your life is a great way to practice self care. If you are in a small group now, but you are not practicing accountability, maybe you can add that component to your relationship. A few simple questions to keep a check on your life might go a long way! Develop this practice and you will be strengthened for the battle ahead. Finally, being authentic is a great way to practice healthy self care. When you live honestly you are more open for help and direction from God and then you can get help from others. To be authentic is to be real. Being real keeps you "well cared for" because you are living out the thoughts and intents of a heart tuned to Christ. Pray God directs your thoughts, words and actions in such a way that you will live boldly - and boldly speak the truth to both youth and others in your circle of influence. By God's grace, and in His power, let us resolve to care for ourselves so we are able to live in a way that naturally draws others to Christ. with Eternity in mind, PG Together in Ministry Testimony by Nancy HandWe have just heard from a father whose two teenage boys have walked through the doors here at Church in the Acres to join our youth group for spiritual guidance. Praise God! They make up 15% of today's teenagers. The other 85% will never step foot into this church or any other. So what do we do, how do we reach out and minister to the thousands of young lost souls? Growing up in a household of dysfunction and never knowing there was a better life out there for me, you could pretty much guess I fell into the 85% category. That all changed in 1994 when I accepted the Lord as my savior, and in the same year became a member here at CIA. And not too long after that I was approached to substitute teach a Sunday school class by Adell Hotaling. My talk with God went something like this: "Now I know I said I wanted help children, and to be a teacher someday, but now, right now, HERE?!" God spoke through Dell's sweet voice "don't worry dear we will equip you with all you need." And ever since that encounter I've been in children's ministry's here at CIA, and have come to know that God can "learn" you as you teach. There is a building in our community that is not a church/Spiritual hospital with Sunday school classes, but a spiritual emergency room with life changing lessons called: The Lion's Den Youth Outreach Center. Greg Dyson (the executive director), along with others are part of a MASH/Christ team that create a safe user-friendly neutral environment for youth to encounter Christ. The Lord brought me to this place while in search of spiritual guidance on what to do to help my troubled 16 year old niece who was on her way to a juvenile detention hall, a foster home and or her grave. There was no way I was getting her to come to my house for dinner let alone come to church with her Jesus freak Aunt for a "God" talk. It did not take me long to learn that outside of the walls of this church there are others who believe: "Christ is at the center; The Bible is our guide and people matter. I have been volunteering my time at the Lion's Den ever since that encounter. You may ask yourself, "So what is the connection between Church in the Acres, the Lion's Den Outreach Center and Nancy Hand?" It is Christ! I came through the doors here at CIA, encountered Christ, and became biblically equipped to go outside into the community to show people that they are loved and that they truly do matter! The idea that the activities done for Christ and for His kingdom are what really count really does change my perspective on things. A few years ago, while attending an Acquire the Fire event, I remember singing the song “History Makers”. One of the teens in who attended that event with us took those words seriously and began sharing her beliefs with her friends in high school. Because of her faithfulness, several young people made decisions for Christ. The question for each of us is this: Are we willing to be history makers? Todd Carver Director of Ministry Todd is the Director Of Ministry at Monadnock Bible Conference. In July, Todd and Andy Needham led a team from Monadnock Bible Conference to the Lion’s Den for seven intense days of ministry. The trip included: Overseeing two VBS programs We are thankful that Todd, Andy and the Monadnock team decided to be history makers! You can learn more about the ministry at Monadnock Bible Conference. |
Lion's Den Hours | ||||
Gregory Dyson Speaking EngagementsIf you are interested in having Greg speak at your church or group regarding youth, ministry, outreach or some other general or specific topic from the Word of God, please call (413) 543-4444, or e-mail us. |
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