@ Youth Encounter

In 1980 I and about sixteen other staff moved to an office at 2500 39^th Ave NE, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Little did I suspect then that this address would be Youth Encounter’s home for the next 23 years. However, a very favorable office rental market created a situation where we could move to a larger, contiguous office space for less cost, so by the end of August approximately forty staff will bid fond farewell to 2500 39^th Ave NE and say hello to 3490 Lexington Ave N, Suite 300, St. Paul, Minnesota 55126.

Much has changed over those twenty-three years, yet much remains the same. The mission, while similar at its core, has been expanded to its present version to strengthen the Church through the Christian faith and ministry of its youth. How that is accomplished continues to evolve and change as well.
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Halfway Around the World
Rainbow of Promise Returns from India and Nepal
by Dain Swanson

What can you possibly learn from traveling halfway across the world and returning to churches you visited in the fall? The answer: a lot.

I could have never imagined how wonderful it is to return to some of the same churches we visited in the fall. Not only do they welcome us like old friends but they are truly interested in all that we have to say about India and Nepal. Some of the best questions have come from my host families and host brothers and sisters. One conversation I had in particular stuck out in my mind. The rest of the family had gone to bed and my host mom, Liz Nelson, and I stayed up to talk about “stuff” when the conversation turned to the caste system in India. I began to tell her the story of one school we encountered in Tiruvanamalai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
New Dawn Returns from Southeast Asia
by Jon Graf

What was the purpose of being on team for the past year? Why did we volunteer a year of our lives when we could be going to school or making some money? Why does Youth Encounter even bother sending out a bunch of teenagers and young adults to travel across the U.S. and the world each year? Thinking about those questions, I couldn’t come up with a simple answer right away, and sometimes I wondered, “What’s it all for? Is it even worth it?”

In retrospect, it was definitely worth it, and the reason for it all can be summed up very easily: to share the love and grace that Jesus first showed us.
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Captive Free North Central
A Day In the Life of North Central!
by Captive Free North Central

“Wow!!! Vacation Bible School rocks!! I have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled to leave training and head out for VBS. I was run down, so was my team, and excitement was not on my list of emotions.

We arrived in Lemmon, South Dakota and talked to our contact and met some of the kids and our host families. Slowly I started to loosen up and feel a little better. The town is great, a small town, with amazing people. Monday morning came around and my perspective completely changed. The kids were awesome, so welcoming. They did all of the motions, and they sang so loud and so full of joy and spirit.
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Captive Free East Lakes
Catch a Glimpse of their Online Journal!

“My host family was so incredible! My host sister had the bubbliest personality and is now considering going on Captive Free. So we talked about that a lot and she also told me about a friend of hers she had brought to our program. She told us that we really reached her through our music and now she plans on going to church with my host sister. It's so great sometimes to hear that we are still doing God's work and that He really does use us.
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Homecoming 2003
Help Us Welcome Back This Year's Teams!
by Youth Encounter

Homecoming 2003 is on its way! Saturday, August 9, 2003, the Youth Encounter family welcomes all friends, alumni, and guests to Bethel College to celebrate 38 years of ministry! This one-day event will take place at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Please join us as we welcome back this year’s International Teams and National Bands. The teams will be sharing music and celebrating their ministry across the United States and around the world! For information, please call Allison Slipka at 1-800-65YOUTH extension 233 or e-mail her at allison@youthencounter.org. We look forward to celebrating with you!
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Alumni Lead the Way at Youth Create 2003
A New Program Continues to Grow
by Cathy Pino (Cross Fire 90-91)

Another great week of Youth Create has come and gone as Youth Encounter's newest summer program continues to grow and flourish. This year's workshops were attended by students and youth leaders from all over the country, who spent the week writing songs, creating puppet shows and skits, jamming with their friends, recording their original masterpieces, and leading worship.
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Meet the Fitz Family!
Real Family, Real Juggling, Real Fun
www.fitzfamily.com
by Youth Encounter

The Fitz Family is a family troupe of jugglers that has been performing since 1992 and traveling full time since 1994. They travel approximately ten months out of the year and give more than 200 performances a year. The Fitz Family's mission is to encourage people to discover, celebrate and use their unique gifts in the Lord's service. They use their unique gifts of juggling and entertainment to share a message of God's love in Jesus Christ and to encourage bold Christian living. Their performances are a combination of juggling, humor, audience participation and a Gospel message. Youth Encounter is pleased to minister along with the Fitz Family at several Youth Quakes and Congresses throughout the year. The Fitz Family members are Area Representatives for Wheat Ridge Ministries. Recently, the Fitz Family was kind enough to take some time to share their vision for ministry with us.
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Impact More Youth
Make A Difference Each Time You Use Your Phone!
by Brett Koopman

Youth Encounter is very excited to offer you a new opportunity to support our ministries simply by switching your home phone service provider or establishing new service. It’s that easy! Just by paying your monthly telephone bill you will make a significant difference within our organization. As we strive to strengthen the Church through the Christian faith and ministry of young people around the world, your participation is greatly appreciated.

Together we can make a difference!

The Latest T-Shirts and More!
Get a Head Start on the 03-04 Event Season!
by Ryan Veil

Summer is upon us. The days are hot and so are the new prices at Youth Encounter. To take advantage of our sale, simply call Ryan at 800-65-YOUTH ext 249. All CDs and T-shirts are $10 plus shipping. Hurry and take advantage of these prices; this sale ends at the end of August!!

Is your youth group planning on attending a Quake or Congress this coming event season? Call Ryan at 800-65-YOUTH ext 249 and ask about the pre-event T-shirt order discount. More information to come soon! Buy T-shirts for your whole group BEFORE the event and SAVE MONEY!

Check out what’s new and what’s coming soon at our web site: www.youthencounter.org and simply hit “Store”!

Women of the Word: Esther
A Bible Study written by a dear friend of Faith Inkubators
by Kathryn Marie Melheim

A Cinderella Story: Orphan wins a beauty contest and becomes Queen

(Editor’s Note: This is the first of 32 Bible studies of women of the Bible written by Faith Inkubators CEO Rich Melheim’s mother in the days before her death. Faith Inkubators will publish one a month for the next three years in their electronic newsletter, FINKmonthly. Feel free to copy, distribute, teach and enjoy Kathryn’s Last Gift in her honor.)
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