Save the Date - SGM Winter Open House

Save the Date!

We invite you to our next

Winter Open House

We would love for you to attend either:
Sunday afternoon, Feb. 24, 2008 or
Monday lunchtime, Feb. 25, 2008

Come to learn more about our program offerings and
the Woodlawn neighborhood we call home.

A light, catered lunch will be served.
A historic bus tour of Woodlawn will also be offered.

Questions or comments? Contact:
Lauren Dillon
773.493.0656 ext. 1003
Look for more details to follow in the New Year!

Semester Wrap-Up

Today was the last day Chicago Public School ran until the New Year. Just as the schools are wrapping up for the Christmas holiday so, also, are our youth programs.

Last week, our technology program for high school students in small computer networking ended. This apprenticeship program is sponsored by After School Matters. Over 20 students graduated from this semester's apprenticeship. They finished up strong, celebrating their efforts with a final party and small award ceremony! Even as I write, students are knocking on our door, eager to pick-up their payment checks.

Staff and tutors of our Club 2-5-2 after-school tutoring program created an incentive system at the beginning of the year. The incentive program rewarded student's good behavior and improved academic performance while also teaching them the basics of money management. The Sunshine Community Bank was established :smile: to hold the student's Sunshine Bucks. Each child had to read the Bank's service brochure to learn about the bank's provisions. (Fake) checks were issued for students to use in their depositing and withdrawal of monies.

Toys and clothes that remained from our community-wide Christmas Store were used to establish Club 2-5-2's Store where students could spend their Sunshine Bucks to "purchase" Christmas gifts for themselves and for their family. The Store was used to teach students about money saving and spending. We trust from the smiles on their faces that they also had fun.

Lastly, as in past years, Sunshine youth were treated to the excitements of Chicago's Navy Pier Winter Wonderfest. This was another reward for faithful attendance and for commitment to learning.

Chicagoland Churches and Woodlawn Families Participate in annual Christmas Store

This Saturday Sunshine held its 4th Annual Christmas Store in the multi-purpose room of our 61st Street office. It's become a holiday tradition for Sunshine to hold a Christmas Store whereby, brand-new gifts donated by friends at partnering churches are sold to parents in the community at a discounted price. This year we specifically priced items at 25 cents to the retail dollar. The money raised in contribution dollars and sales from the Store are used to support the needs of community members with particularly acute financial needs this Christmas. Churches contribute gifts, neighbors shop, and fellow neighbors benefit.

The Store marked a milestone for us. Last year's Store was held in our office building but, we weren't formally moved into the facility, none of our furniture was in the space and the Store, then, was held in the smaller office-specific space. Our basement office on 62nd Street didn't allow us the same kind of presence that we have today with floor-ceiling windows fronting the building.

Our windows are only an aesthetic marking of a much greater reality - the reality that our new facility has given us a space to build more as well as deepen relationships with Woodlawn community members. Last year, 35 families were invited to our Store. This year we were able to host (and therefore invite) 80 families. The Store was open for a duration of five hours (the later hour and a half the Store was opened to the general public.)

What has come out of the Store is only a great testament to the Lord's faithful working through Sunshine, through community members, and through members of contributing churches (perhaps yourself).

• Ten churches gave gifts to make this Store possible.
• 435 toys were given. (A number which doesn't include the number of clothes contributed.)
• Nearly $3,000 is cash contributions were given towards buying additional gifts, wrapping paper and tape, as well as gift cards to local grocery store given free to shoppers to use toward their holiday meal expenses.
• Nearly $1,400 was raised through the sale of goods. This amount, combined with remaining contribution money, will be given back to community families this New Year.
• The day of, over 50 families shopped our Store.

On behalf of Sunshine and families in Woodlawn blessed by the Store, thank you

to all of those within our neighborhood and our church friends who once again made

the Christmas Store possible!

"In My World"

As I believe I mentioned before, part of our after school program - called Club 2-5-2 - is dedicated to teaching students about world changers and scholars throughout time. Figures like Moses, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. Intregal to this teaching is talking about and pointing out how our young people (ages 2nd through 5th grade) can be world changers.

Last week one of our 5th grade students brought us a poem he'd written in school. This is the evidence of a young world changer.

“In My World”

In my world, you got to stay strong

In my world, a lot of things are going on

Killing, murdering, I hear it all the time.

People who do it, they get away by lying

Drinking and smoking, some people think its cool.

That stuff is not really good for you.

Don’t take drugs, that will mess up your life.

Being on the streets, you might lose your life.

This is all I’m sayin…Get an education or you’ll be on your knees prayin’.

"Nothing Happens Without Reverberation"

Dawn Trice, Chicago Tribune reporter, has well-stated a truth Woodlawn residents have known for awhile and wish others understood too - "Nothing happens without reverberation". Murder is no exception. I am apt to say the attention Woodlawn has received around the shooting of University of Chicago student, Amadou Cisse, has enlivened the conversation about urban violence on the South Side of the city. But, the truth is, the conversation has been a lively in our community for some time now. But for certain reasons, better-expressed in Trice's piece, there still exists a grave discrepancy - an injustice in most classic of terms - in how and when the news media points its spotlight. Wails of grief cut equally as deep, are equally as tragic, and are equally as loud when one of our resident youth is killed. Even more, for area residents each new wave of grief is coupled with not-too-distant memories of a thriving Woodlawn...

Trice met with long-time, local area residents at the Sunshine office. This is the Tribune report:

Killings Shed Light on Rift

(Unfortunately, Dawn Trice got the name of our organization wrong. "Sunrise" Ministries is, indeed, us.)

A Reminder to Pray

Killing of University Student Unsettles Campus

Sharing God's Faithfulness With You This Thanksgiving

An update e-mail to staff members earlier this week from David Clark, head of our youth outreach ministries.

Guys,

I just wanted to highlight a few things that happened over the weekend that I am excited about. God is moving in the lives of our young people!

To start things off, Friday night at foCus our high school-age youth leaders played a major role in every aspect of the service – from choosing the theme for the night: “Why Worship?,” to putting together a drama/skit, facilitating a time of prayer in small groups, and sharing short testimonies on what they learned at the Save Your Sex Summit. One of the teens gave his debut break dancing performance. The skit/drama that they performed (they found on youtube.com) portrayed the various temptations that can come at a believer and effect our relationship with Christ, but how Christ can give us the power to endure and overcome. It didn’t have any words, but the message was clear and they did really well. We once again had youth from the neighborhood come out – many of whom came last month as well. On Sunday, another one of the teen leaders asked if we could have a foCus step team. It is encouraging and exciting to see the core teens of our youth outreach maturing in their faith and looking for opportunities to use their gifts and talents!

On Saturday night we had a game night here at the building. It was supposed to be a FAM collaborative event. And although, no young people from Christ Bible or Canaan ended up coming, we had a good turnout of just over 20 young people. We had a Nintendo WII station, a Taboo table, a Spades table, and a Monopoly table. Everyone brought $5 to put in on pizza from the one and only B&B Pizza King. We concluded the night by watching the documentary “Invisible Children.” It highlights the child soldier crisis in northern Uganda where young kids are being kidnapped from their village homes and being forced to become rebel soldiers at a young age. Thousands of kids walk miles each night to sleep in hospitals and bus stations together in order to avoid being kidnapped. After the movie, we broke up into groups to talk about what we had just seen, to pray about it, and to talk about how we might be able to be involved. As you know, this is a part of our larger, more concerted effort to bring other nations, other people groups to the attention of our youth. Each of the youth were “moved” by the movie, were eager to pray for the kids of Uganda, and had BIG ideas of ways in which we could get involved. These kids with the big dreams...they're some of the young guys you and I often see talking around Woodlawn late at night, sometimes getting into trouble. Continue to pray for these guys. Four of them are now apart of Club 2-5-2 and are loving it!

To end the weekend, Sunday night we had a volunteer appreciation party here at the building. Although not everyone was able to come, we had a good mix of young leaders, Moody students, and two of our moms from the community. We had one of the longest and most competitive games of Apples to Apples ever!! We have been blessed this fall with some really solid volunteers for Club 2-5-2! It is a beautiful thing to see local jr. high and high school students, Moody students, and parents from the community working together and building relationships.

Going into Thanksgiving, I am thankful for our young people and for our volunteers and for what God is doing in all of our lives.

In His Service,

D.C.

"Yes, We Look Forward to Participating in Bridge Builders"

As of yet, we have received confirmations from six groups who will be participating in Bridge Builders in the coming year!

Proud Moments

I know you've had them...those moments when you've worked hard at something and hoped all the moving pieces will come together even better than you anticipated. Or, those moments when you've felt a need, had a vision to meet the need, poured sweat and tears into making the vision come to fruition, spent endless hours talking to God about the project; from every detail to every struggle and every personal triumph along the way; and then, stood back to watch God bring all the parts together. If you're like us, it's in those moments that you feel God smile, that you wish you had hired a bunch of cheerleaders to commemorate the moment, and that you wish your friends and family had a better idea of all the time you spent on the project.

It's safe to say moments like these have been apart of the building of our technology center. One of those stand-back, wish-the-cheerleaders-were present-moments was with the inauguration of our latest computer course for high school students. For these particular courses, Sunshine has teamed up with Chicago's After School Matters (ASM) invitative - an intitiative founded by Maggie Daley. This is the fourth session our Center's Director, Vince McCaskill, has taught in our new facility. Previously this year, Vince taught a a couple courses entitled, "The Business of Web Design". He recently switched things up, starting a new course for high schoolers in small home networking.

ASM courses are conducted with a good amount of seriousness; after signing up online, students must interview for a spot in the course and, based upon the interview, Vince decides if they will be able to enroll. ASM awards students stipends provided they remain engaged in the material and and continue to (punctually) attend. These technology courses have a capacity of 22 students. This semester more than 22 students interviewed for the course, 22 were chosen, and we are now at maxed capacity; Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every one of our technology center's computers are in use!!!

Yesterday when I visited the class students were using Microsoft Office to develop proposals for a hypothethical client for a network design and installation package. This proposal included the scope, price, equipment, and labor for the project. These pictures were taken during that particular class session.

Vince has given of his extenstive technology skills in develop these courses and it's been an immense encouragement to see high school students seize the experience.

We welcome all cheerleaders who wish to share share with us in the success of the class. :-)

Luke in Action

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all people.

Luke 2:52

It's from this Luke passage that our after-school program (as debuted in our now home community of Woodlawn) has taken its name and, more importantly, its vision. Our goal is to equip and to empower a group of 25 second through fifth grade students with the necessary tools to thrive spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically within their various home and school environments. Our vision, subsequently, is to grow a Christ-centered, holistic after-school program which truly serves its urban youth in multiple ways. We see strength in pouring time and energy into a few; frankly put, to us it's about the depth and quality of our after-hours teaching is of more importance than the number of students. Right now, all 25 spots are filled and we have a growing waiting list!

Club 2-5-2 follows the public school calendar and runs Tuesday through Thursday. College students (most of which come to us from Moody Bible Institute), local high school students, and neighborhood moms teach, interact, and converse with our students together, helping to advance students' reading, writing, math, and computer learning skills. Witnessing the ease with which these three group of volunteers work alongside one another is a real joy for us to see young and old, black and white, working alongside each other, serving the young people.

Furthermore, there are moments like these...

* Sunshine officially opens its doors for tutoring at 3:30 p.m., but students have been showing up 15 to 20 minutes early eager and ready to learn! We appreciate their eagerness and as the minute our volunteers arrive the work begins.

* Two of our students - Mariah Harper (third grade) and Terrance Mills (fifth grade) - received their school's Student of the Week award based upon their excellent academic performance and citizenship.

* When you ask these grammar school students to describe their tutoring program, they they will reply with, "it's a college preparation program!" Praise God.

* One segment of our teaching is dedicated to teaching about the lives of "world changers" throughout time. We (the leadership) tell the students that they, too, are scholars and world changers. One day we had a discussion about what a world changer is, and about who some world changers have been. Students named people like Martin Luther King Jr., Moses, and Rosa Parks. A few days later, as Dave Clark was reviewing with them the explanation of a world changer, one of our students named Alexis responded with, "I am." That's exactly right! Best answer we've received so far.

It's moments like these, when we know the students are engaging with and enjoying their learning experience, that make tutoring an enjoyment for us as well.

ReCharge Update

ReCharge is our weekly discipleship program; this year the group meets on Thursday nights. We have approximately twenty faithful attenders (we have had up to thirty!). Attenders are generally students we have retained from our Summer Blast and Club 2-5-2 programs. Our Blodgett duo - Pete and Nikki Blodgett - are currently co-teaching a study on studying (a few) attributes of God. For example, last week's focus was on God's grace and goodness. In past weeks we have highlighted God's holiness, His justice, His love and mercy, His eternality, and the list goes on.

We began a new segment within our discipleship study which highlights global missions. We have been pleasantly surprised by the popularity of this time. Students are bringing in their loose change and dollars to support other ministries meeting people's needs in other countries. Staff member, Dave Clark, begins each month with a description of the country of note, leading into a discussion of the country's spiritual needs and highlighting a ministry within the country seeking to present the message of Jesus Christ as the solution to one's spiritual needs. This month's country of focus is China. Dave has been exploring the growing underground church movement in China. The inherent danger of the movement has captured our youth's attention and each week we are awed by the profound, heart-felt, and tender prayers of our students for Christians in China.

Furthermore, foCus, which is our monthly hip-hop worship service, is steadily becoming a greater avenue for discipleship as we meet local community members who may be interested in greater relationship with us. Our service, which targets those thirteen and older, brings in local and national rappers who present and live out a holiness within the hip-hop culture and are committed to the genre's return to the historic roots of celebration and social consciousness.

This month the group Anti-World joined us. The group is made up of two friends, Ron and Eric, who are empassioned to proclaim Romans 12:2 which says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." The very fact Anti-World is a hip-hop performance group attests to their (as well as our) belief that non-conformity does not mean divorcing from modern culture but rather about living a Christ-honoring life within our present culture.

If you are interested in hearing some of their music, check them out on mySpace.

Needless to say, there is a lot happening within our building. We truly look forward to continuing to update you on our discipleship studies, especially as our current relationships with Woodlawn grows and new ones are formed.

Allow Us Introduce To You...

We are delighted to have added Lue Williams and James Powell as staff members with our Technology Center!

Lue Williams is a native of St. Louis, who relocated to Chicagoland about five years ago after "the most beautiful women he had ever seen walked into his life". He has previously work experience in teaching computer courses and servicing computers. He increasingly sensed his gifts and abilities would be best utilized if they were paired with community service. Lue's personal mission and vision aligns with our mission and vision.

Also, with our Community Technology Center becoming busier by the day, Lue's computer background is a valuable asset to the community of which we're apart. Lue now oversees the Open Access service portion of our Tech Center and is developing a resume-building curriculum which will soon be offered on Saturday mornings. Resume construction and fine-tuning has been a need the community daily tells us about. We are grateful, therefore, for Lue's enthusiasm and ability to meet this need.

Lue has been married for a year now. He and his wife are expecting their first child in December!

James Powell was born in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago (just South of Woodlawn) and still considers this city home sweet home. Powell was first introduced to Sunshine when he "wanted to sign up for Internet use at the local library but, the next available reservation was the following day at 6 p.m.! The clerk gave me a flyer for Sunshine Gospel Ministries' Open Access program." Shortly after, Powell learned about the scope of programs Sunshine provides and inquired about staff opportunities. He continued to stop by for Open Access where in time he began to be introduced to various staff members.

At the time when Powell first entered Sunshine's doors he admits to "lacking drive and purpose" and experiencing some of the greatest challenges of his life. His new, part-time involvement with Sunshine as our technology center's adult class instructor is a service he described to me as, "Life changing for the students and I, both being dramatically impacted." Between the opportunities at Sunshine and his home church, he is invigorated with new avenues by which he can "share the good news of Christ and the salvation that his sacrifice has brought and will provide for those that will receive such a wonderful free gift!" Amen.

The energy the Lord has instilled in these two men is equally as exciting to Sunshine!

Join in the Fun!!!

We are hosting another volunteer training session on Saturday, November 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you know of a college student or young adult who might be interested, please spread the word to them. Listed below are the programs in need of volunteer and the time of their operation:

Club 2-5-2 Tutoring Program (2nd – 5th graders)

Tues,Wed, Thurs afternoons from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

ReCharge Youth Bible Study (age 7 thru high school)

Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.

foCus (hip-hop outreach service for 13+)

Every 3rd Friday at 7 p.m.

Adult Technology Classes

Monday - Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Interested students or young adults?

E-mail Dave Clark by Thursday, November 1

dave@sunshinegospel.org

Operation Jumbo Candy Drop

Apologetically, this story should have been told earlier. However, those who receive our print newsletter did read it (this is a plug to give us your mailing address so we can keep you updated). So, please allow me to tell this story retroactively...

...Earlier in the summer, a local repair man came to fix our broken, walk-in refrigerator. And as conversations often do, a conversation about the refrigerator’s repairs led to a conversation about the man’s other job – a mechanical job fixing private airplanes. As the workman expanded on his responsibilities with planes and his ability to fly them in order to detect problems, Charlie Reid, the Cove's Director, concocted the idea of a massive candy drop from the air to the kids down on the ground at camp.

It was a secret and…a hit!
Nevermind, a great story to bring home.

Operation Candy Drop was only one festivity our campers enjoyed this summer. There is also archery, boating, lyric dance classes, basic photography, swimming, and crafts. Plenty to stay entertained. I wish this page offered more room for all the Kodak moments this summer supplied.

As thrilling as Operation Candy Drop was, there was an even grander story that began to play out in the lives of our campers.

“Who’s Tha King?” was the theme of this summer’s residential camp. Each chapel session the campers listened to a story of a leader in Scripture who had to choose which masters he/she would take direction from – an earthly, temporal god or the Eternal God. Examples of both choices were given and at the end, the campers were challenged to ask and answer this question for themselves. The lessons on kingship directly corresponded with the salvation message. Over 40 campers accepted Christ as their personal Savior throughout the summer!
Without taking away from the momentary thrill of Operation Jumbo Candy Drop, the immensely awesome story is Jesus’ sacrifice for us and what that daily means for us. We rejoice in power of the Gospel to make us see clearly who is truly worth serving.

Close Call

As sent by Charlie Reid, Sunshine Cove Camp Director, late last week...

Folks,

Just a quick update from Sunshive Cove to let you see a bit of what has been taking place at camp. August was very rainy! You can check out the pictures to see how high the lake got.

Also, check out the tree that fell during a storm a couple of weeks ago. it was giant one, but just missed Spruce lodge! Thankfully, the Lord kept it standing past our summer season, and let it fall when we (almost) have time to clean it up. Dave Phillips did most of the cutting, and a work crew from Bethel College came to split and stack the enormous amount of wood…

Sunshine Packs Its Bookbag

Summer wouldn't be complete if it did not include a block party. Hot dogs...candy...games... prizes... music ... and Mayor Daley Jumping Jack Inflatable House. (Before it was even blown up, the kids had formed a line in expectation.)And...backpacks? Yep, Sunshine coupled the local block party with our back-to-school backpack drive. A variety of brand-new backpacks filled with school supplies were graciously given to us by Willow Creek Commmunity Church in Barrington. Over 100 backpacks were given to area youth, many of them attenders of our Summer Blast Vacation Bible School. So now, I suppose, the summer is complete.

Summer W-rap Up

It's been too long since we've updated this blog! We know! But, I'm guessing your house looks a little like our "house" these days. Sunburns are fading, backpacks have been bought, school supply lists are a thing of the past, and each member of your family is trying to make a new schedule of games, clubs, appointments, and meetings a routine. But, since I am one who cannot get enough summer sun or the leisure summer so well imposes, I'm going to take you down memory lane, recounting our staff's activities as a way to give you a picture of our summer days. Join me?

Dave Clark finished his season coaching the Warriors, our high school basketball team. They ended the season with a 5-4 record, but that stat hardly reflects the improvements in perseverance and discipline they made. We are quite proud of our team and of Dave, who I can tell you from personal experience, was the most animated coach in the league, giving his full attention to the team.

Dave also spearheaded the annual trip to Bozeman, Montana at the end of July, with some of the young men from our community (in fact, some of the same guys who were on our basketball team). Six youth and two staff families (the Roys and the Blodgetts) made a 2-van, 22-hour caravan out West! Word back here in the city is that they are not coming back to Chicago. No, really, just like years past, they greatly enjoyed their time in the Word together, devotioning together alongside rivers and overlooking Canyons. Their hosts from Springhill Presbyterian warmly opened their doors & showed the guys the ropes to outdoor, mountain fun.

Ann, as she always does, sufficiently held down our fort. (My, we are going to miss her when she relocates to L.A. this fall!) She brought Woodlawn moms of Wednesdays to our Sunshine Cove Camp in Michigan, where the parents had an inside look at the kids' days at camp. The other days of the week, Ann teamed up with our other staff members, bringing Bridge Builder teams to their various site visits across Chicago, making corresponding phone calls and flyers, and taking a field trip to the water park and to the Clark homestead in Michigan (pictured below). She took upon herself for us, the anxieties associated with group dinners, birthdays, and the vast amount communication it takes to keep our staff on the same page we travel to and from camp all summer.

Vince taught another semester of After School Matters classes in business and web design to local high school students, all while continuing the major communications and messaging upgrade, which includes hosting our own e-mail and website. He also made sure our evening classes in computer literacy and Microsoft Office applications continued to be held for area adults. Our summer intern, Dave Perkins, and a part-time instructor, Jonathan, offered some relief along the way.

Pete and Nikki Blodgett (our newlyweds) came back from their honeymoon only to dive immediately into youth activities, like the Summer Blast program we'd wrote to you about in our last update. And, alongside that summer outreach endeavor, is our weekly ReCharge discipleship group, which we continue to hold and which we have plugged in approximately 30 more youth. Pete held another hip-hop Friday - an event we call foCus. This outreach will regain its consistency throughout this school year.

Aaron, besides celebrating the arrival of a baby girl into the Roy family, also led our Bridge Builder program. This week-long urban ministry school, as I would describe it, reached roughly 200 participants from churches and college campuses around the country.

And the rest of us of here in the city...we keep the family checkbook in order, plan the parties, go to meetings, write the family Christmas newsletter, greet our guests as they spontaneous arrive at our door, and make sure to periodically call "Aunt Brenda" in Washington with an update on the family. In actuality, my guess is that our duties would be a bit uninteresting if we outlined them. I think you can read between the lines though. :wink:

As you can see, our life on a large scale mirrors your life. Just as you are preparing for a new routine of activities, so are we.

Leaving a Legacy

We recently co-sponsored a discipleship conference called the Legacy Discipleship Conference. The focus of all of the workshops and general sessions was to grow as and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. More specifically, conference attendees were able to choose from four different workshop tracts: Basic Doctrines, Hermeneutics, Evangelism, and Community Impact. All of the general session speakers focused on what it means to “make disciples.”

We were reminded that the command within the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is to “make disciples.” We are instructed to “go,” but this is not a command. As Herb Hodges puts it in his book entitled “Tally Ho The Fox,” “The verb means ‘as you are going’ or even ‘since you are going (pg. 39).’” What that means is that we don’t have to “go on a trip” in order to fulfill the Great Commission. We should be fulfilling the Great Commission “as we go” to work, to school, to the store, etc. “As we go,” we are commanded to make disciples.

The question then becomes, “what is a disciple?” A disciple is a student, a pupil, a learner, a follower. In other words, our command is to make fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ with a vision for impacting the world. The Great Commission reminds us that God has “the nations” on his heart. It is truly an amazing mission and vision. Hodges later asks:

"Christian, is your vision God-big for his glory? Where are the plans, the dreams, the visions, the strategies for total world impact that truly tax the miracle resources of God? Where is the strategy that requires ongoing miracles for its sustenance? Where is the vision that is so big that human resources (whatever the kind or amount) cannot possibly sponsor it? The only eternity-sized vision any of us will ever need is in the Great Commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ (17).”

At the Legacy Conference it was evident that God is doing a work within the urban centers of our nation, raising up world changers for his Name’s sake, who are committed to the Great Commission and who have the neighborhood and the nations on their hearts. I was humbled and challenged over the course of the 3 days there. There were approximately 350 youth and young adults in attendance at this multi-site Chicago based conference. Please pray for all that were in attendance as we continue to build on the momentum that the work of the conference created.

For more information you can check out the Legacy Conference website. This year's conference was from August 14-16.

Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

Written by Dave Clark, City Team Leader for Sunshine. Dave is celebrating his 30th birthday today! And, he has been spending his last few days preparing for and training others for the our after-school tutoring programs.

It's Raining Kids!

Throughout the month of July on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm Sunshine opens its doors for Summer Blast! During Summer Blast kids from the blocks the Sunshine building come in to do crafts, play games, perform skits, and also hear about the great heroes in the Bible. There have been over a hundred kids come out for Summer Blast! It is always exciting to see new faces join us as well as see who returns. So far we have had six kids accept Christ!

We had hoped Summer Blast would attract kids from our neighborhood who would take interest in our youth programs and help us to become familiar with them. In fact, some kids have already plugged into our Wednesday night Bible study called ReCharge, so they can grow further in their walk with Christ. God supplied our hope for kids with whom we can intentionally build relationships and given parents in the community an opportunity to become familiar with us. We are eager to see what God is going to do the rest of the summer!

[Contributed by Nikki Blodgett, who is interning at Sunshine this summer. She and Pete, our youth pastor, recently got married in June. Nikki is studying youth ministry at North Park University.]

Two Weeks Behind Us & 40 New Believers

Over the first two weeks of camp, we have been blessed to serve 95 campers here at The Cove. With a current capacity of only 50 per week, we praise God for challenging us with near capacity crowds. More importantly, there have been 40 first time commitments to Jesus Christ! Praise God for the opportunity to share the gospel with young people that we will be trusting our future to.

As we are in the midst of the holiday week, we are happy to be serving families from Community Church of West Bend, Wisconsin. Pray that staff will use the time wisely by ministering to these families, as well as taking some extra “down time” in the middle of our youth camp ministries. In speaking with many of them, they appreciate the slower pace of this week, but are greatly anticipating the return of the children.

Next week begins the “middle of the summer run.” Three weeks full of opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ with children ages 7 – 12. We know your prayers are with us, as they carry us through long days. Please continue to pray for the staff and campers, so that we all may be ready for the spiritual moments that God gives us each day.

[Contributed by Charlie Reid, Cove Camp Director. Charlie and his wife, Anita, moved from New Hampshire earlier this year to take on this new role. Charlie has over 25 years in Christian camp work. He and his wife have 3 children.]

Putting it Together: Hip-Hop in the Woods

Christian hip-hop artist, CZ (Curtis Zachery), generously accepted our offer to come to Teen Week to sing and to teach. CZ lives, worships, and makes music in Nashville, TN. His ministerial work singing for and speaking to urban youth is backed by Strong Tower Bible Church in Franklin, where CZ attends when he is home. Sunshine and CZ have been in friendship for four years (and counting).

This summer's camp theme is "Who's The King?" pulls from I Timothy 1:17, which reads:

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,

be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

CZ stopped in to our city office before leaving town and I was able to grab a few moments of his time for reflection. In a different way each day, he answered this question in a way that would carry meaning and relevance for this 13-18-year old crowd. I, for one, was interested to hear how he'd broken it down.

CZ began his week's teaching with a look at King Saul, a notably "bad" king, who lost the Lord's favor by being self-centered, self-willed, and falsely believing in his own autonomy. In a similar way, CZ related how many of the qualities of this ancient king compare to today's self-described "kings" in the American hip-hop culture, who have taken the genre away from its socially conscious roots as they have proclaimed kingship in their own eyes. To contrast, CZ later taught on the life of a "good" king - David - who, though he was a humble shepherd, ascended to kingship because the Lord saw his inward motives were pure and anointed him to reign over Israel - God's people.

CZ left our teens with a message on the traits of a godly king, imparting the ways in which the Lord bestows honor, authority, and responsibility to his children as explained in Scripture. He noted that godly authority figures are led by the Lord because they know the sound of their Father's voice and can not help be drawn to it. Godly "kings" are then (immediately) obedient to the words and direction of their heavenly master and see themselves, not in a position to be served, but to be of service to others. Finally, god-honoring leaders seek their authority and identity from the Lord, who through his life and words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" clarified that Christ Jesus is the only one who can validate a person's life and worth.

When I asked CZ what this week of teaching meant for him, he answered that "overall, it was a good opportunity to examine this own life." He acknowledges that his teaching retains its integrity only if his own life exemplifies a non-guilt driven search for the things of the Lord. CZ relates that each challenge or charge to urban teens is also, in fact, a charge and challenge to himself to live a life "worthy of the calling", as Scripture states, marked by confession, faith, and a continual resting in the goodness of the Lord.

I encourage you to check out CZ's website.

[written by Lauren Dillon, Sunshine's Communications and Development Coordinator. Lauren came on staff in October of last year. Beside posting updates on this blog and other such communication work, she enjoys reading and exploring Chicago's underground art & music culture.]

Chicago Arrives at The Cove

as of June 25, 2:30 p.m.

[written by Charlie Reid, Cove Camp Director]

Our first group of "Sunshine Kids" from Chicago arrived safely here in Union, Michigan a little after noon today [last weeks youth came from the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Elkhart, IN]. Teen Camp is now underway!

The staff greeted 43 teens, and their wide ranging personalities. Right off the bus, you could sense the many "attitudes" of todays teens. They run the gamete, from jumping with excitement that they are "back in the cove" to "where are we… and I'm stuck here for a whole week?" Many challenges await our counselors, and we are expecting God to work miracles in the lives of these valuable youth.

Pray with us for opportunities whereby the Lord uses us to soften the hearts of these youth, and show them the kind of love that lasts a lifetime.

Counselors look on in anticipation...

Off to a good start!

LISC Shines Spotlight on Sunshine

The Local Intiative Support Corporation (LISC) began a long-term initiative to support comprehensive community development in 16 Chicago neighborhoods, of which Woodlawn is one. As LISC explains the initiative as a "five-year effort seeks to rejuvenate challenged communities, bolster those in danger of losing ground and preserve the diversity of areas in the path of gentrification."

LISC recently wrote an article featuring Sunshine and its programs. We hope you'll check it out!

[Click Here]

The 1st Day of Summer Camp Has Arrived!

(an e-mail note from Charlie Reid, Sunshine Cove Director)

Monday, June 18th, 12 noon

The bus has arrived, and we are at full capacity with 52 campers from Elkhart!

God has selected each one of these young people to be here this week for a very special encounter with Him. Please pray with us for not only the campers, but for each of our staff. After two weeks of sometimes tedious training, the reality of summer is upon us. Pray that the counselors will use and remember the skills they have learned and put them to use. Pray for the campers' hearts to be opened up and receptive to God's Word.

We are thankful for what God is doing, and we are looking forward to a great week!

The staff of Sunshine Cove

Many Signed Up For Camp at Our Community Open House

While the doors of our new facility have now been open to the public for a few months, we had yet to celebrate with our friends and neighbors all the work that has and will be accomplished. An unveiling or, if you will, the "cutting of the ribbon" ceremony, had yet to occur.

Since the zip of the saw and bang of the hammer is becoming less of a familiar sound in our city office as our building project is progressing and because the warm weather has brought with it one our favorite organizational seasons - summer camp! - we figured it is about time to cut that ribbon with a Community Open House.

Sunshine staff, camp counselors, and neighborhood leaders took ownership of various aspects of the event. Our staff guided community members through our renovated facility and explained, along the way, our programs. Camp counselors hit the streets with reminders to parents to sign-up their children (or grandchildren) for the camp as well as had their first conversations with the kids that will soon take up house in their cabins. Neighborhood leaders helped us immensely by volunteering their time and food for the event.

Summer Camp 2007 promises to be a fun, rewarding, Spirit-filled season!

We look forward to continuing to update you periodically.

More Than We Could Ask

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever! Amen!”
-Galatians. 3:20

It’s a great benediction, particularly after that convicting sermon, which leaves one spurred on to right living. Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we are left unenthused about the work it takes to get there. I don’t know about you, but at the end of those services not only do I feel humbled, but know for certain that righteousness is never something that is of my own good doing.

But then, just minutes later, in the post-service fellowship time, the grand words of the preacher slide down the mental drain into oblivion until next Sunday when that same good man/woman concludes once again with these same words. (Thank the Lord, for He knows how we need to hear truths over and over again in order for them to take root.)

Just because we are in ministry does not make us immune to the shortcomings of the faithful. We, too, so often slide out of our seats after this Galatian benediction and forget to ask for or fail to remember the power of God that is capable of meeting the very desire we spend the remainder of the griping about its incompletion.

Such was the case with our aging, sorry-looking fence at our camp – Sunshine Cove. Our budget could purchase 100 feet of fence to meet our immediate summer fencing needs. Discouragingly, a trip to the local Menards proved disappointing. The fence on sale in our price range wouldn’t hold up for long and furthermore, installing such would be a sure disappointment.

Ah yes, Galatians 3! A few weeks ago, a group of young (if even in spirit) men from Lawton Evangelical Mennonite Church of Lawton, Michigan were the grace (of which, by definition, we are always unworthy) we had failed to think or ask for. Not only did this team dedicate their time, their energy, and their skill, but they also donated and installed 500 feet of high quality fencing material! We are humbled by the Lord’s willingness to answer a prayer we were afraid to pray, and grateful to Him for supplying exceedingly more than the minimum need.

Adult Tech Students Celebrate Another Well-Done Job

Recently, adults from Woodlawn celebrated their hard work in and completion of our Technology Literacy Course and our Microsoft Word Course. Students received a 1 gb flash drive for storing files. (These ladies learned the technology world has come a long way since floppy discs.)

Several more adult courses will continue to be offered throughout the summer. This week begins another round of classes, starting with a technology literacy course and a Microsoft PowerPoint class. Our technology literacy course is a constant (and a prerequisite for our other courses), while our Technology Center rotates its teaching of the various Microsoft Office applications each month.

Our Technology Center is also apart of Chicago's After School Matters initiative. Through the city's funding, we offer high-school aged students a course in "The Business of Web Design". The class teaches students about business and information systems through hands-on training and site visits within Chicago's Financial District - the "Loop". The students final project is to make a website for a local business or community organization. The class takes place throughout the school year as well as the summer semester. The next After School Matters class begins in July.

Save The Date - 2007 Benefit Dinner

[click image to enlarge]