Student Ministries Celebrate “New Year” August 28-29

Posted on: 08-16-2010
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Coming off the momentum of two great summer camp experiences, the student ministries of Willow Creek Community Church are prepped for a powerful kick-off to a new year of ministry beginning next weekend, August 28–29.

“Parents, we invite you to make it a priority to bring your kids to church every weekend,” says Scott Rubin, director of Willow Creek’s junior high ministry, Elevate. “We want to help your kids experience community with their friends, and our Next Gen staff and volunteers are excited to build into their lives spiritually.”

Elevate, Willow Creek’s ministry for students in grades 6–8, meets during every weekend service (5:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 and 11:15 a.m. on Sundays) for games, worship, teaching, and small group discussion.

Student Impact, Willow Creek’s ministry for grades 9–12, meets Sundays at 11:15 a.m. in South Barrington’s Lakeside Auditorium, followed by House Groups at 1–3 p.m. in local homes near each of the high schools in Willow Creek’s community. House Groups include free lunch, a short teaching time, and small group discussion.

“Student ministries are a great place to volunteer,” Rubin says. “Adults can really make an impact in kids’ lives by serving as small group leaders or in other vital roles. And it’s a great place to get connected at Willow. We have a lot of fun together.”

To learn more or volunteer in Student Impact, go to studentimpact.com.

To learn more or volunteer in Elevate, go to elev8world.com.

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Summer Camp: It’s More than Food Fights and Bonfires

Posted on: 07-20-2010
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More than 1500 students in Willow Creek’s junior high and high school ministries stepped out to summer camp where they received in-depth biblical teaching, worship, and a whole lot of fun.

 

High School Students Head to Sandblast

Student Impact, the church’s high school ministry, took 1,078 students and leaders to Indiana Wesleyan University for Sandblast summer camp. Josh Riebock, author of My Generation: A Real Journey of Change and Hope, was the guest speaker throughout the weekend. 

 

A new aspect of camp that ministry leaders most anticipate is the impact camp will make on  the lives of 73 students who have never been to church before. These students were individually invited by their friends. “There is something breathtaking about watching students use their influence to bring those who are far from God to camp,” said Student Impact Teaching Pastor and Regional Area Leader Bryan Jones. “There already seems to be a holy anticipation that God is going to move at camp.”

 

Junior High Students Collide

Elevate, Willow Creek's junior high ministry, maxed out their capacity at Judson College in Elgin with more than 500 students and leaders registered for Collide, their summer retreat. Scott Rubin, director of Elevate, and Wes Wilson, programming director for Elevate, taught.

 

Besides the goal of making Collide the best weekend of the students' summer, leaders helped students grow closer to God and build deeper relationships within their small groups. “When a middle schooler sets aside a weekend to spend time with God, cool things happen,” said Scott Rubin.

 

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Student Impact Visits Zambia

Posted on: 05-03-2010
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Eight students and four adult leaders from Student Impact, Willow Creek’s high school ministry, spent 10 days in Zambia, Africa working on projects to support partner ministries in the area. While many hours were spent painting, digging wells, helping out at a local clinic, running an after-school program for orphans, and tutoring at Samfya high school, the team was impacted by an opportunity to shadow care providers on home visits to patients with HIV/AIDS.

 

“We visited a 22-year old woman named Mercy,” said one student. “She was incredibly weak, lived in a cement home with a tin roof and two pieces of furniture—a shabby red arm chair with a cardboard seat and a bamboo mat.” Students prayed with Mercy and read Scripture. “The peace she found in her Savior was beautiful and unexpected,” said the student. “Her circumstances were the polar opposite of most Americans, and Mercy found hope and joy in the midst of her circumstances.”

 

Student Impact meets at Willow Creek on Sundays at 11:15 a.m.

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Sandblast Registration Is Open

Posted on: 04-24-2010
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Sandblast, Student Impact's summer camp will be held July 23-26th at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana.  High school students will experience the teaching of author/speaker Josh Riebock, author of My Generation, along with fun, excitement, music, and the opportunity to deepen friendships.

 

Student Impact is Willow Creek’s ministry for high school students. Super early bird pricing is available through May 16.

 

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Join a Group

Posted on: 02-08-2010
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Willow Creek Community Church has opened up several new avenues for helping people get connected in small groups.  During a three-week “Join a Group” open access period, people can register for a variety of small groups meeting on Willow Creek’s South Barrington campus, as well as existing groups that meet in homes throughout the Northwest Suburbs of Chicagoland.

 

Depending on their needs and availability, people can choose from existing traditional groups—such as men’s, women’s, mixed, or singles groups—or they can try a short-term Parenting Group for a Season. The latter type of group, utilizing a DVD curriculum based on Kevin Lehman’s best-selling book, How to Have a Great Kid by Friday, is led by trained small group leaders from Willow Creek’s Promiseland, Elevate, and Student Impact ministries.

 

Registration for all types of groups is open until February 14, 2010.  

 

 

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Category : Classes@Willow, Connecting, Elevate, Group Life, Promiseland, Student Impact

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