Pirates and Pancakes

Every year in October the Young Life committee hosts Pirates and Pancakes. Committee members set up griddles and make pancakes by the hundreds. All the kids have to do is come dressed as a pirate. After pancakes there are a few games and then everyone settles down for a 10 minute club talk. It's one of the favorite events of the year.

Promoting Pirates and Pancakes

Our fearlessly ridiculous Area Director Shane Sampson "selling" our 2nd annual Pirates and Pancakes to the students of Rockport-Fulton High School. How? Well, by dressing up as a Pie-Rat of course.

Fishing Contest

The Rockport Young Life annual fish fry fundraiser is Monday, November 10th at Paws and Taws. Join the youth of our community at 6:30 p.m. as we all celebrate 10 years of ministry in Rockport.

In preparation for the event a group of high school boys and girls participated in a fishing contest. At the end of the day the girls won the contest by bringing in the most fish.

What is Contact Work?

The following except is from the Young Life brochure "Good Knews" and is available in the local Young Life Office.

Young Life is not a facility-based ministry - we don't ask kids to come to us. Leaders go to them, wherever they may be. It's a principle modeled by Christ and practiced for more than 60 years by Young Life leaders as they show up at football practice, games or local hangouts just to get to know kids. Contact work is about building relationships and earning the trust and friendship of teenagers.

Shane Sampson hamming it up with Shane Klemcke at Sonic after club.

Catherine Hanna laughing it up with the fellas at Sonic.

Shane in the RFHS cafeteria enjoying a cold beverage with his friends.

Shane being informative.

Betsy and Danielle giving a thumbs up.

That's our volunteer Addrian standing behind them.

On the Heels of a Hurricane

Clubs are weekly meetings open to any high school kid who wants to attend. At club we sing, laugh, play games and hear a leader share great news about God's love in terms they can understand.

This year our first club was the Monday after Hurricane Ike hit Galveston. The week prior everyone in Rockport was preparing for the worst. Anticipating a direct hit, people were boarding up their houses and loading up on supplies. School was cancelled for three days and most people left town for safer locations.

Monday morning, however, everyone was back at school and Rockport Young Life had their first club scheduled for that evening. Since the Rockport Beach Park was closed we had to find a new location for club.....and fast.

We found a spot at the Rockport Elementary Auditorium and were open for business. Whew!

This Year at Camp - by Shane Sampson

This year I got on the bus and headed to Jasper, Georgia with two groups of high school students. One group had been involved in YL all year, participating in club and our weekly bible study called Campaigners. These kids were familiar with the gospel and most had already made a profession of their faith. The other group wasn’t as familiar with the truths we promote; therefore, camp was their first introduction.



It took about 24 hours in a loving, Christ centered environment before these two groups became one. This group of campers enjoyed each others’ company, learned from each other during cabin time, and bonded in a special way. Imagine my joy at being awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of 12 high school boys singing the fun songs from club and then bursting out in laughter.



Our time at camp ended with 4 campers coming to know God in a personal way. All the students are excited about Young Life in Rockport and want to help get their friends involved. Seven seniors are signing on as senior leaders. One camper will go to college locally and help as a volunteer leader throughout the year.

With the price of gas rising so high, getting to camp this year had its challenges. I would like to thank all those donors who sponsored kids and committee members in the Bowl-a-Thon. The proceeds from that event helped pay the transportation costs. There are also many who gave scholarship money. I am so thankful. Your kindness and love for high school kids is apparent in your giving.

In addition to my thanks, please accept an early invitation to our Young Life celebration fish fry on November 10. Come see these kids for yourself as we celebrate them, you (our donors), and our 10th anniversary of YL in Rockport. The program will be totally focused on the kids that you so graciously have supported.

Bowling for Gasoline

Cyndea and Shane Sampson, Bobbi Wagoner, Catherine Hanna and Ryan Mayo

This year the Young Life Committee decided to join our high school friends at their annual Bowl-A-Thon. Our goal as a committee was to raise enough money to pay all the transportation costs for every camper ($3,750.00). So while campers were bowling to raise money for camp, we as a committee were bowling to pay for the gas.

I am please to report that we were able to raise the entire amount. Reaching this goal helped us reduce each camper's total fee by $118.00. On behalf of the Young Life committee I want to thank everyone who supported our student and committee bowlers. Your gift will literally get these kids where they need to be to hear a life changing message.

Our camp departure date is July 26th and we return August 2nd; please continue to pray for us as we take these kids on the "best week of their lives".


Sincerely,
Shane Sampson

Patti Jahn, Catherine, and Leslie Knight

On Being a Volunteer Leader by Serina Covarrubias

As a Young Life leader I have been given the privilege of earning the “right to be heard”. I get to spend quality time with students through contact work at the high school, Young Life Club and activities, or simply hanging out at Starbucks over coffee.

In December we all loaded up for our annual Polar Bear Weekend and I was asked to help lead a cabin of high school girls. It was an experience I will never forget. We laughed our heads off at the hysterical skits during club time. We got dirty beyond recognition during Muck Wars then cleaned off by jumping in the Frio River (did I mention it was December?).

Then every evening we had a great time of fellowship in our cabins discussing the speaker’s talk. During that time I was able to speak with students on a more personal level, by letting them know who I was before I came to know Jesus, and how He changed my life for the better. I was able to encourage many students and answer questions that needed to be addressed. As a Young Life leader I have learned what it is to truly love students right where they are and hopefully help them be all that God created them to be, even by example.

On Being a Student Leader - by Todd Farnsworth

Shane approached several of us last year about being “student leaders”. I jumped at the chance as quick as I could. Initially I didn’t think it would require much effort on my part; however it turned out to be much more than I expected.

Within the first week I was helping plan clubs, meeting with all other leaders, discussing future plans, and most importantly digging into God’s word and seeing truths found there. After my first club as a leader I began to look forward to the next club. I desperately wanted to be there and be available to God. It wasn’t until half way through the year when it hit me; the way in which I approached Young Life was how I was supposed to approach my day to day life.

Young Life has helped me to see the true characteristics and plan of God. I am blessed with friends I will have forever. I now live for God day by day; serving Him to my very best.

Leaders: James Fry, Cyndea Sampson, Shane Klemcke, Serina Covarrubias, Kyler McNew and Shane Sampson

Pictured above: Todd Farnsworth and Serina.

Young Life Gets an Office!

It’s always exciting here at Rockport Young Life. As we enter our tenth year of ministry we marvel at what God is doing with the students of this community. We are planning a year of celebration and want you to celebrate with us.

We start our 10th year by moving into our own space. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church has been so gracious by offering Young Life office space. Having a permanent space to conduct the daily administrative responsibilities of a ministry such as Young Life is a monumental answer to prayer. The committee and staff would like to extend a sincere thank you to Father Friedal and the members of St. Peter’s for their generous gift.

I wanted to again thank you for your diligence to our mission. We want you to know that we live by the motto:

Every Kid, Everywhere, for Eternity!