How's it going?

Well, how's it going out there? By now you should've filed for your passport and written your sponsor-me letter. If you haven't written your letter yet, get on it. I will give you a letter writing tutorial on Jan 6th @5.45PM, just before Move starts.

The great news is that through Lucia and the poinsettia sales we have raised a little over $3000. You guys are off to a great start, but if you are planning on more support through fundraising than you'll need more individual participation in the fundraisers.

Very soon I'll have a video to show you of the church and the pastor who we'll be serving.

For now, we'll take a break from the fundraising and spend our time and energy on Christmas. The next opportunity to serve is Saturday, Dec. 15th. From 9AM-1PM we'll be delivering gifts and food from Angel Tree to families in Detroit. Sunday Dec. 16th is our move Christmas party from 4-8PM, ice skating, white elephant exchange, and dinner!

Don't forget our mandatory training is during dinner February 15th, and a morning session on February 16th!
Enjoy your Christmas!

Let the Fundraising begin!

As of this morning we have 26 students signed up for the trip. This is great news, but this also means that we'll have to be creative when it comes to fundraising. These first two are just the beginning.
Starting today I have two options I'd like everyone to pursue to raise funds for this trip.

The first option is selling poinsettias.
If you look over here---------------------->
you should see a link titled Poinsettia Order Forms. These are the order forms for you to use to collect as many poinsetta sales as possible by November 20th.
We (you) are selling 6" potted poisettias for people to pick up at Lucia or the day after for $7.
We will have a few on hand for those who are shopping at Lucia and would like to buy one, but the rest will be order only.
As you raise funds for this trip, please do not just go to people in our church. Our church will be supporting you in many ways and in fundraisers to come.

The second option I'd like you to pursue is to write a support letter to your friends and family. I added a sample letter for you to tweak to your own liking to send out. Please do this in the next few weeks.

For future fundraisers, we will need more people to step up and help out. Lucia is taken care of. We have had a number of suggestions and ideas, but I need to know what parents and students are willing to do.

Let me know specifically how you are willing to help.
By the way, isn't having 26 students to fundraise with a great problem to have?! I think it is!
Justin

What to look for...

Last night at MOVE, we had three more students sign up for the trip and then one more this morning, which brings our total to 24! This is great news!

I added a new section that I would like you to take note of and check often. To the right there is a section called "Forms and Information" which has just that. It has a complete list of all the trip information we have to date, as well as two forms that must be turned in for the trip. Please check back often to see whats been added.

Stay tuned for fundraising info later this week. Please keep praying for our students as they prepare for this trip to serve!

October 26, 2007

I had coffee with Tammi yesterday and learned a lot about our trip with Merge. (As of this morning, by the way, we are up to 20 students! I had hoped for 15, and dreamed of 20. Yee Haw God!)

Anyway, it looks like next summer we will be serving in Puerto Plata, the second largest city in DR. We will be helping a church there by working on their ministry building and doing some ministry with the many local kids in their newly donated lot next door!



Tammi did say that there were 3 areas we should be working on:
Passports-Get this started now, because it may take weeks!
Airplane Tickets- The sooner, the better.
Training Date- Tammi will spend a weekend with us answering questions, and training our students to prepare them for their time in DR. Our two options are Dec 15th or Feb. 16th.

Personally I lean towards February, so everything we learn isn't lost over Christmas break, but let me know your preference, because once we choose a date, IT WILL BE MANDATORY!

Lastly, The cut off date for sign ups is November 11. Please get your questions answered by me and your checks to the church!

First Steps...

As of this morning, we have 15 students signed up for our trip to the Dominican Republic. I am very excited and from the looks of things we will probably have about 20 students go. I have finally figured out the communication with our Merge leader. My email was not allowing her emails to come through, but we've got that sorted out and I will sit down with her next week to hammer out some details and plans.
For now, here are the first steps you should take:
- Get your $50 deposit in.
- Get your passport.
- Pray and think about your gifts and talents (ask your parents too)- then, work project or people ministry?

We have received a few great ideas for fund raisers and we will be able to sell Poinsettias at Lucia this year! You will receive more info shortly!
In the meantime, keep this trip in your prayers and send me your thoughts or questions!

justin.saxton@faithcovenantchurch.org

Justin

Friday-fun day

A day of rest, finally. I am pretty sure that everyone was ready for today. First we traveled to Grand Haven to spend the day there only to find out there was no swimming due to E coli. Nice! So they called another beach and it was deemed "safe to swim?" and headed there for the day, but not before a visit to Butch's Burritos. The rest of the day was beautiful, sun, sand, water, card games and a few Harry Potter readers. Back to Grand Haven for dinner downtown, and a musical fountain. We then spent the rest of the evening sharing closing thoughts and group bonding until it was very late...and making a huge crop circle. I had a great week and I am praying that our students have had a lasting impression too.
Justin

Thursday

We spent the day with a neighborhood organization called, Adopt a Block. We helped to clean the grass, plant flowers and pick up trash. Finally. after that we playing mini golf and go-cart. That was so cool!
--MARIE

I planted flowers and weeded trees. Mowed a lawn also. Then ultimate frisbee and we had the Life shirts on like WWII Japanese pilots and Ben , Paul, and I were skins. Having fun and GO BLUE.
--Baseball 101

wednesday P.S.

Today turned out to be a tough, but great day. Lots of hand weeding at the school that Life Church meets in, and lots of painting...plus, one can of paint spilled, by me...Justin. Tonight we drove 30 minutes to go for a special dune ride and the place would not let us ride because they were short a driver and wouldn't have room for us. So, after driving around looking for a putt-putt golf place, we found ourselves right back in front of our hotel stuck in traffic. I canned every plan and got ice cream and bought a frisbee with lights on it. We then spent some time debriefing and praying and spent an hour playing ultimate frisbee outside in the rain. Soaking wet and with huge smiles they all posed for the last picture of the evening. I will remember this day for a long time.
--Justin
PS: To see protein for paul, check this out...

Wednesday's thoughts...

MY TWO SENTENCES: I KILLED THE DOOR HANGERS. WE TOOK THE SCHOOL BY STORM. ONE MORE SENTENCE TO ALL READERS- I HATE WEEDS.
-DENNIS

Today was pretty awesome with ultimate frisbee in the rain. But I gotta say painting in the school was pretty sweet too. Today was just a good overall day.
-Eileen