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CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES
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Coordinator: Josh LaGrange
The Generation 119:9 ministry has many activities for children and youth year round.
During the summer months there are Family Movie Nights and outings to the water park. On Sunday nights, during the school year we have C.O.O.L Kids for preschoo-1st grade & Virtue Seekers for 2nd-5th grade.
The youth have Bible studies, [RE]Connect, Convergence (monthly youth rally in Wilmington), a summer trip that rotates between missions, concerts, and youth conferences, overnighters, and more.
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Volunteer Opportunities
As we continue to grow through our outreach to the children and youth in the surrounding communities, we will be in more need of help.
We have several areas that we could use support in. Contact Josh LaGrange in the church office for more information.
Background checks are performed for all ministry workers.
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The following is an article from The Free Press.
A big to do about something to do
Local church to offer youth activities
Pam Monson
Editor
Starting in January, there will be something for kids in Wilmington, Braidwood and Coal City to do - wholesome activities tempered with a touch of Christianity.
Generation 119.9 is a new ministry of the First Christian Church of Wilmington being organized by youth minister Josh LaGrange. Generation 119.9 has the potential to reach hundreds of the 6,500 children from preschool to grade 12 who live in the Wilmington, Braidwood and Coal City area.
The purpose of the program is to provide a safe place, programs and Christian leadership for the area's youngsters, LaGrange says. The name, Generation 119.9, is based on Psalms 119:9 - "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word."
"That is the point of all of this; keeping our kids and youth pure. We know that there are problems among the local kids," LaGrange said. "We know about the drugs, alcohol, crime. We know that they have idle time, belonging issues and pain. Since we know all of this, we need to reach them and teach them his word so that they can be changed and pure.
"LaGrange started Generation 119.9 quietly. When the dodgeball camp for sixth through 12th graders started, he was heckled when he sat down with the participants for a few minutes of discussion before play began.
"But halfway through they were circling their chairs," he said. Their discussions may have been based on the Christian word, but were made relevant to the participants; healthy ways to deal with pain, peer pressure and other topics. LaGrange was pleased with the positive impact the program had on its participants - several have gone on to become regular participants in their church's youth programs.
Rolling on the success of the dodgeball camp, LaGrange is hoping to fill his winter COOL Kids camps with kids from every town in the area. He expects about 300 to sign up for the winter activities, and thinks the program will grow quickly - the activities are not otherwise available in the small towns he hopes to draw participants from.
Children in preschool through fifth grade can choose from basketball, art or drama club. The clubs will be divided by age group; preschool to kindergarten, first through third grade and fourth and fifth grade. Age appropriate activities will help them develop skills in their specific club.
The clubs will meet Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the First Christian Church, 1824 Church St., Wilmington. The cost for the 10-week club is $10 per child.
Youngsters in grade six through 12 can sign up for a winter paintball league or a dinner and a movie club.
The five-vs-five paintball league will conclude with a tournament. Participants get 500 paintballs each week, their own goggles and the use of the equipment and unlimited air refills at Realms of Ruin in Custer Park. Play will be on Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The cost to participate in the league, which runs from Jan. 5 to March 23, is $100, less than 20 percent of the actual cost. Helping with a league fund-raiser can eliminate the registration fee.
The dinner and a movie program is scheduled for Sundays from 5 to 8 p.m., and each event is based on a theme, such as an Italian movie paired with an Italian dinner.
Participants will have access to foosball and ping pong tables before and after the movie.
The cost is $20 per youth, which includes 11 dinner-and-a-movie events, although youth can sign up for free if they participate in a fund-raiser.
Registration for the Winter COOL Kids activities of Generation 119.9 is being held this week; Wednesday, Dec. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Coal City Public Library and Thursday, Dec. 20, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Parents can also call the First Christian Church to register. The deadline is Dec. 30.
LaGrange knows most people would have gathered funds before putting programs in play, but the young-at-heart youth minister put the kids in the community first by starting with activities.
"I want to change the world through kids," LaGrange concluded.
Generation 119.9 is a community effort that will need the support of local businesses, industry and private benefactors. The program is financially independent of the First Christian Church, and all contributions toward it will be used for the clubs and activities it offers.
LaGrange is seeking team sponsorships and monthly sponsorships. Contact him at 815-476-6734, or by e-mail at josh.jen@sbcglobal.net for information.
http://www.freepressadvocate.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=1524&SectionID=18&SubSectionID=18&S=1
