BETHEL ASSEMBLY STL STORY

1/18/2010

YOUTH GROUP TESTIMONY::
We had given our group a goal of $3000 for 2009. Our old record was $2850 from a couple of years ago and we wanted to set a new record. Our STL income is 3 pronged. 1. We have 2 small STL fridges (one in youth room and one in the adult coffee area) stocked with soda and water for 50 cents a can. We usually make a few hundred dollars off of those. 2. We do one big fundraiser. In the past, we have done Servant Sales by auctioning off the youth for 4 hours of work. This year we switched it up with a 40 mile bike-a-thon. 3. We challenge the youth to personal giving and sacrifice. Give money, make money, babysit, mow yards, etc for STL. Often we'll throw out a personal $100 challenge. Our main volunteer youth leader is a Harley riding, guitar playing guy with a long ponytail. This year he made the challenge that he would cut off his ponytail if they met the $3000 goal.

Our 40 mile Bike for the Light had 9 riders and raised over $1500, but we were sitting just a little over $2000 going into convention. I wasn't holding out much hope for the haircut. Then at convention the youth and leaders made a big response to the STL challenge. The next Sunday one youth brought me $200 before the service. Others got odd jobs or took money out of savings. And by the end of the year we had sent in $3575! P.S. Nathan got his hair cut this past Sunday morning during church.

YOUTH TESTIMONY::
One of our youth (age 14) made the personal $100 pledge at the beginning of the year. He gave a little here and a little there. Then he got busy at the bike a thon and raised almost $300 himself for STL. At youth convention he felt led to make a $100 pledge. (He didn't have $100) That Sunday when we got back a couple at church asked him (unsolicited) if he would come over and do some yard work for them. He worked about 4-5 hours cleaning gutters, raking leaves, etc and when he got ready to leave they gave him a $100 bill! Then another couple called with a similar request and he was able to give even more to STL. My wife was talking to him in December and it was just like it dawned on him all at once and he said, "I gave and raised over $500 to STL this year!"

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