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Rockport Young Life celebrates 10th birthday
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| Rockport Young Life held its annual Fish Fry Monday. The group celebrated its 10th birthday with songs, funny skits, and even a tricycle race pitting Caro Jackson against Aransas County Sheriff Bill Mills. Photo by MIKE PROBST |
By MIKE PROBST, Editor & Publisher
Rockport Young Life held its annual fish fry fundraiser Monday at the Paws and Taws convention center, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, while at the same time seeking funds to keep the youth ministry alive for another year. Young Life has had a presence in Aransas County for the past 10 years, reaching out to teenagers wherever they are.
Young Life Area Director Shane Sampson explained to the crowd the motivation behind some of the silly skits performed by members. He and Rockport-Fulton High School junior Dylan Ramzinsky performed a takeoff on “Talladega Nights” at Monday's event.
“Humor has lost its innocence in today's world. It's our jobs to be fools for Christ,” said Sampson.
Speaking to the essence of the program, Sampson said, “We get down on their (a teen's) level and love them.”
Young Life has several different components which make up the ministry - Club, Campaigners, Camp, Contact work and Polar Bear.
Club is a Monday night gathering for singing and laughs, including the aforementioned skits.
Campaigners, which is held every Thursday, is a more serious session where teens attack life situations with the guidance of the Bible.
Camp is the summer camp all Young Life members are encouraged to attend at some point during their high school years.
Polar Bear is a weekend retreat during December in which attendees “share the Gospel around the campfire and occasionally leap into cold water,” said Sampson.
He said contact work is the pillar of Young Life.
Other guest speakers included Elizabeth Moore, Addrian Jafaritabar, and Mimi Nguyen.
Moore was part of the first Rockport Young Life group 10 years ago.
“I quickly realized Young Life was another avenue with which I could show my friends Christ,” said Moore. “Young Life lives to serve as Christ served us.”
She said she is grateful to Rockport Young Life for “igniting the spirit within me.”
Jafaritabar, a recent Rockport-Futon High School graduate, and now a volunteer assistant for Rockport Young Life, said, “I don't think I would have a relationship with Christ today without Young Life.”
Nguyen, with tears in her eyes, reflected about her first days of high school when Young Life made her feel welcome in a new big world.
She thanked those in attendance for helping fund the local program, saying, “You made it possible for me to start my relationship with the Lord.”
De McLallen told the crowd about what he calls the five Fs of Young Life - food, fun, fellowship, faith, and funding.
“They (Young Life) doesn't go after the low-lying fruit (those kids who are already involved in their church). They go to where the rubber meets the road.
“I don't know what could be more important then bringing the message of Christ (to these kids).”
Rockport Young Life's budget for the upcoming year is $95,000.
Tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to: Rockport-Fulton Young Life, P.O. Box 1603, Fulton, TX 78358.
Young Life Area Director Shane Sampson explained to the crowd the motivation behind some of the silly skits performed by members. He and Rockport-Fulton High School junior Dylan Ramzinsky performed a takeoff on “Talladega Nights” at Monday's event.
“Humor has lost its innocence in today's world. It's our jobs to be fools for Christ,” said Sampson.
Speaking to the essence of the program, Sampson said, “We get down on their (a teen's) level and love them.”
Young Life has several different components which make up the ministry - Club, Campaigners, Camp, Contact work and Polar Bear.
Club is a Monday night gathering for singing and laughs, including the aforementioned skits.
Campaigners, which is held every Thursday, is a more serious session where teens attack life situations with the guidance of the Bible.
Camp is the summer camp all Young Life members are encouraged to attend at some point during their high school years.
Polar Bear is a weekend retreat during December in which attendees “share the Gospel around the campfire and occasionally leap into cold water,” said Sampson.
He said contact work is the pillar of Young Life.
Other guest speakers included Elizabeth Moore, Addrian Jafaritabar, and Mimi Nguyen.
Moore was part of the first Rockport Young Life group 10 years ago.
“I quickly realized Young Life was another avenue with which I could show my friends Christ,” said Moore. “Young Life lives to serve as Christ served us.”
She said she is grateful to Rockport Young Life for “igniting the spirit within me.”
Jafaritabar, a recent Rockport-Futon High School graduate, and now a volunteer assistant for Rockport Young Life, said, “I don't think I would have a relationship with Christ today without Young Life.”
Nguyen, with tears in her eyes, reflected about her first days of high school when Young Life made her feel welcome in a new big world.
She thanked those in attendance for helping fund the local program, saying, “You made it possible for me to start my relationship with the Lord.”
De McLallen told the crowd about what he calls the five Fs of Young Life - food, fun, fellowship, faith, and funding.
“They (Young Life) doesn't go after the low-lying fruit (those kids who are already involved in their church). They go to where the rubber meets the road.
“I don't know what could be more important then bringing the message of Christ (to these kids).”
Rockport Young Life's budget for the upcoming year is $95,000.
Tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to: Rockport-Fulton Young Life, P.O. Box 1603, Fulton, TX 78358.
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| Book signing for local author Patricia Chapman |
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ZAGDA wrote on Feb 14, 2009 3:53 PM:
Instead of presenting this to the scientific world in a peer reviewed journal, these guys publish it in this book in an attempt to sway public opinion. I could go on as many of the statements in this article are misleading, or blatantly ludicrous. Suffice it to say, it looks to me like this book is much more about influencing public opinion than any scientific review of whether human activity is causing climate change.
It is sad some people will believe this as fact. "